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
- 1,543
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 1,543 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
AUGUST 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: FEDERAL APPEALS COURT OVERTURNED DZHOKHAR TSARNAEV'S DEATH SENTENCE
The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on 31 July 2020 overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
- JULY 31, 2020ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. At least 8 death row prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, 1 died (Alfonso Salazar)
USA - Arizona. At least 8 death row prisoners tested positive for COVID-19, 1 died (Alfonso Salazar)
- JULY 31, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
USA - Federal. The 1st US Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston overturned Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
JULY 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The U.S. government has set an August 26, 2020 execution date for Lezmond Mitchell, the sole Native American on federal death row
USA - The U.S. government has set an August 26, 2020 execution date for Lezmond Mitchell, the sole Native American on federal death row
JULY 27, 2020CaliforniaDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. 10th death row inmate (Johnny Avila) dies from COVID-19.
USA - California. 10th death row inmate (Johnny Avila) dies from COVID-19.
- JULY 19, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. 39 inmates died by COVID-19 in California’s prisons
USA - California. 39 inmates died by COVID-19 in California’s prisons
JULY 19, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: DUSTIN HONKEN EXECUTED AT TERRE HAUTE FEDERAL PRISON
Dustin Honken, 52, White, was executed on July 17, 2020 at Terre Haute Federal Prison. He was pronounced dead at 4:36 p.m., the Bureau of Prisons said.
- JULY 17, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Dustin Honken, 52, White, was executed at Terre Haute federal prison.
USA - Dustin Honken, 52, White, was executed at Terre Haute federal prison.
JULY 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Wesley Purkey Execution Temporarily Halted
USA - Wesley Purkey Execution Temporarily Halted
- JULY 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The federal execution of Wesley Ira Purkey has been accomplished
USA - The federal execution of Wesley Ira Purkey has been accomplished
- JULY 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: THE FEDERAL EXECUTION OF WESLEY IRA PURKEY HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED
Wesley Ira Purkey, 68, White, was executed on July 16, 2020. He was pronounced dead at 8:19 a.m. local time, which means 13:19 GMT, and 14:19 in Italy.
JULY 14, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Daniel Lewis Lee was executed at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
USA - Daniel Lewis Lee was executed at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
- JULY 14, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: DANIEL LEWIS LEE WAS EXECUTED AT THE U.S. PENITENTIARY IN TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA
After the Supreme Court of the United States stepped in, Daniel Lewis Lee was executed on July 14, 2020 morning by lethal injection at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana.
JULY 13, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (District of Columbia) again halted federal executions
USA - U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan (District of Columbia) again halted federal executions
- JULY 12, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeal overturned the decision to suspend the execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
USA - The 7th US Circuit Court of Appeal overturned the decision to suspend the execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
JULY 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal Jane E. Magnus-Stinson Orders Delay of federal execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
USA - Federal Jane E. Magnus-Stinson Orders Delay of federal execution of Daniel Lewis Lee.
JULY 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - European Union. EU condemns U.S. for resuming federal executions.
USA - European Union. EU condemns U.S. for resuming federal executions.
JULY 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Oklahoma. The United States Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of Patrick Dwayne Murphy.
USA - Oklahoma. The United States Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of Patrick Dwayne Murphy.
JULY 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: KAREEM JOHNSON BECOMES NATION’S 170TH DEATH-ROW EXONEREE SINCE 1973
Kareem Johnson Becomes Nation’s 170th Death-Row Exoneree Since 1973.
JULY 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: RICHARD BAUMHAMMERS ASKS FOR ‘PEN PALS’ FROM PENNSYLVANIA'S DEATH ROW
Richard Baumhammers asks for "pen pals" from Pennsylvania's death row.
- JULY 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. 5 prisoners die of COVID-19 at San Quentin Death Row.
USA - California. 5 prisoners die of COVID-19 at San Quentin Death Row.
- JULY 1, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. Kareem Johnson Becomes Nation’s 170th Death-Row Exoneree Since 1973.
USA - Pennsylvania. Kareem Johnson Becomes Nation’s 170th Death-Row Exoneree Since 1973.
JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Execution Protocol Case, Removing Barrier to Resumption of Federal Executions.
USA - U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Execution Protocol Case, Removing Barrier to Resumption of Federal Executions.
JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Prosecutor In Iran Claims He Has Issued An Arrest Warrant For Trump.
IRAN - Prosecutor In Iran Claims He Has Issued An Arrest Warrant For Trump.
- JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. COVID-19 Infects Nearly 200 on California’s Death Row, and 89 members of staff, and 1 death
USA - California. COVID-19 Infects Nearly 200 on California’s Death Row, and 89 members of staff, and 1 death
- JUNE 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. J. J. DeAngelo pleads guilty to 13 homicides, and avoids death penalty.
USA - California. J. J. DeAngelo pleads guilty to 13 homicides, and avoids death penalty.
JUNE 25, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUNITED STATES: 1,344 PRISONERS ARE ON DEATH ROWS IN VIOLATION OF U.S. HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS (DPIC REPORT)
1,344 current prisoners on 26 state, federal, or U.S. military death rows have been incarcerated facing execution for more than 20 years, in violation of U.S. human rights obligations, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.
- JUNE 23, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gallup poll: record low 54% say death penalty is morally acceptable.
USA - Gallup poll: record low 54% say death penalty is morally acceptable.
- JUNE 22, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC Report — 1,344 Prisoners are on U.S. Death Rows in Violation of U.S. Human Rights Obligations
USA - DPIC Report — 1,344 Prisoners are on U.S. Death Rows in Violation of U.S. Human Rights Obligations
JUNE 18, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Utah. Utah has gone more than a decade without carrying out an execution.
USA - Utah. Utah has gone more than a decade without carrying out an execution.