United States
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 16
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 47
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The pace of USA executions is on the rise, pushed by...
- News items in the archive
- 1,550
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
United States is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 16 executions in the country, against 47 the year before. The archive holds 1,550 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
In the United States the death penalty is a matter for the individual states as well as the federal government: some have abolished it, some retain it without applying it, and some carry out executions regularly. The prevailing method is lethal injection, and several states have reintroduced alternative methods.
Its death rows are among the most populated in the world and the wait often lasts decades. The debate concerns the availability of the drugs, wrongful convictions and the conditions of isolation. The archive follows executions, stays, commutations and court decisions, state by state.
Latest news
NOVEMBER 25, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Trump administration is trying to bring back firing squads and electrocutions
USA - The Trump administration is trying to bring back firing squads and electrocutions
NOVEMBER 24, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Gallup Poll: Public Support for the Death Penalty Lowest in a Half-Century.
USA - Gallup Poll: Public Support for the Death Penalty Lowest in a Half-Century.
NOVEMBER 23, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Oklahoma. Kim Kardashian visits death row inmate Julius Jones.
USA - Oklahoma. Kim Kardashian visits death row inmate Julius Jones.
NOVEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - 1,450 inmates and 98 agents died of Covid-19 in US prisons.
USA - 1,450 inmates and 98 agents died of Covid-19 in US prisons.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: ORLANDO HALL EXECUTED AT THE FEDERAL PRISON COMPLEX IN TERRE HAUTE
Orlando Hall was executed on 19 November 2020 at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana.
NOVEMBER 19, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Judge Delays Federal Execution Of Lisa Montgomery
USA - Judge Delays Federal Execution Of Lisa Montgomery
NOVEMBER 19, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Orlando Hall Was Executed In Federal Prison.
USA - Orlando Hall Was Executed In Federal Prison.
NOVEMBER 13, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal. Lawyers for Lisa Montgomery Contract COVID-19 During Prison Visits, Seek Stay of Execution.
USA - Federal. Lawyers for Lisa Montgomery Contract COVID-19 During Prison Visits, Seek Stay of Execution.
NOVEMBER 12, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Bill Pelke, a pioneer of US abolitionism, and a friend of Hands Off Cain, died.
USA - Bill Pelke, a pioneer of US abolitionism, and a friend of Hands Off Cain, died.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: WHAT BIDEN’S WIN MEANS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND THE DEATH PENALTY
Joe Biden has promised to end private prisons, cash bail, minimum mandatory sentences, the death penalty, and reduce the prison population by more than half.
NOVEMBER 9, 2020United NationsDEATH PENALTYUSA - United Nations. U.S. Death Penalty Criticized by U.N. Human Rights Council.
USA - United Nations. U.S. Death Penalty Criticized by U.N. Human Rights Council.
NOVEMBER 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - What Biden’s Win Means for Criminal Justice and the Death Penalty
USA - What Biden’s Win Means for Criminal Justice and the Death Penalty
- OCTOBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: THE 2020–2021 U.S. SUPREME COURT TERM OPENED, DECLINING TO REVIEW MORE THAN 30 DEATH-PENALTY CASES
The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened on October 5 with the Court declining to review challenges to more than 30 death-penalty court decisions.
OCTOBER 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
USA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
OCTOBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
USA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
OCTOBER 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
USA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
OCTOBER 5, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
OCTOBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
USA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
OCTOBER 3, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
USA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
USA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: WILLIAM EMMETT LECROY EXECUTED IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
William Emmett LeCroy was executed on September 22, 2020 in the federal system.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed On Sept. 24 In Federal Prison.
USA - Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed On Sept. 24 In Federal Prison.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: CHRISTOPHER ANDRE VIALVA EXECUTED IN FEDERAL PRISON
Christopher Andre Vialva Was Executed In Federal Prison on September 24, 2020.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
USA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
USA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
USA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
USA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
USA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: KEITH NELSON EXECUTED IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM
Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed on August 28, 2020 in the federal system.
AUGUST 31, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions
USA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions