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
- 1,047
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 1,047 news items on United States, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
- JULY 1, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Penalty, a new documentary film about the death penalty in the U.S. had its world premiere at London's East End Film Festival.
USA - The Penalty, a new documentary film about the death penalty in the U.S. had its world premiere at London's East End Film Festival.
- JUNE 26, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal government will not appeal vacated death sentence of Ronell Wilson.
USA - Federal government will not appeal vacated death sentence of Ronell Wilson.
- JUNE 12, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - An examination of data from the more than 30 death-row exonerations
USA - An examination of data from the more than 30 death-row exonerations
- MAY 10, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Statistical Brief from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Documents U.S. Death Penalty Decline.
USA - New Statistical Brief from the Bureau of Justice Statistics Documents U.S. Death Penalty Decline.
- MAY 5, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - "Death Row USA Winter 2017" updated to January 1, 2017.
USA - "Death Row USA Winter 2017" updated to January 1, 2017.
- APRIL 27, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to expand the federal death penalty.
USA - The House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill to expand the federal death penalty.
- APRIL 14, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. Pharma firms try to stop use of their products in Arkansas executions.
USA - Arkansas. Pharma firms try to stop use of their products in Arkansas executions.
- APRIL 10, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Carolina. Dylann Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences
USA - South Carolina. Dylann Roof was given nine consecutive life sentences
- APRIL 3, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 21st-century executions disproportionately involve prisoners diagnosed with mental illness
USA - 21st-century executions disproportionately involve prisoners diagnosed with mental illness
- MARCH 28, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Texas' Standard for Determining Intellectual Disability in Capital Cases.
USA - Texas. U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Texas' Standard for Determining Intellectual Disability in Capital Cases.
- MARCH 18, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Guantanamo Judge Setting USS Cole Bombing Trial for 2018.
USA - Guantanamo Judge Setting USS Cole Bombing Trial for 2018.
- MARCH 13, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Inventor of Midazolam Opposes Its Use in Executions.
USA - Inventor of Midazolam Opposes Its Use in Executions.
- MARCH 7, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Reports Find Record Number of Exonerations in 2016
USA - Reports Find Record Number of Exonerations in 2016
- FEBRUARY 27, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court snubs challenge to death penalty constitutionality.
USA - Supreme Court snubs challenge to death penalty constitutionality.
- FEBRUARY 21, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - ANA Releases New Position Statement Opposing Capital Punishment.
USA - ANA Releases New Position Statement Opposing Capital Punishment.
- FEBRUARY 3, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin Formally Sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to Death.
USA - US District Judge Leo T. Sorokin Formally Sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to Death.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Trump's Supreme Court Pick. Judge Neil Gorsuch, has sided with the government in several recent and important execution cases
USA - Trump's Supreme Court Pick. Judge Neil Gorsuch, has sided with the government in several recent and important execution cases
- JANUARY 17, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 18 Arrested at Anti-Death Penalty Protest.
USA - 18 Arrested at Anti-Death Penalty Protest.
- JANUARY 17, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - President Obama Commutes Death Sentences of Abelardo Arboleda Ortiz and Dwight Loving
USA - President Obama Commutes Death Sentences of Abelardo Arboleda Ortiz and Dwight Loving
- JANUARY 11, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Carolina. U.S. Judge Richard Gergel has formally sentenced Dylann Roof to death
USA - South Carolina. U.S. Judge Richard Gergel has formally sentenced Dylann Roof to death
- JANUARY 9, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Massachusetts. A federal jury has sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to death
USA - Massachusetts. A federal jury has sentenced Gary Lee Sampson to death
- JANUARY 1, 2017United StatesDEATH PENALTY
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
To date, the death penalty no longer exists in 18 of the 50 U.S. States
- DECEMBER 21, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - DPIC Releases Year End Report: Historic Declines in Death Penalty Use Continue.
USA - DPIC Releases Year End Report: Historic Declines in Death Penalty Use Continue.
- DECEMBER 13, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Michael Dukakis endorses campaign to exonerate Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953.
USA - Michael Dukakis endorses campaign to exonerate Ethel Rosenberg, executed in 1953.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - CNN: A comeback for the death penalty?
USA - CNN: A comeback for the death penalty?
- NOVEMBER 10, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
USA - Pro-Death Penalty Referenda Prevail in 3 States; Kansas Retains 4 Justices Attacked for Death Penalty Decisions
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
USA - A result is not yet final, the two major referendum on the death penalty in Nebraska e California seem to have been negative
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. At 1 p.m. Italian time, it is definitive the count on Referendum No. 426: Nebraska reintroduces the death penalty
USA - Nebraska. At 1 p.m. Italian time, it is definitive the count on Referendum No. 426: Nebraska reintroduces the death penalty
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. At 1 P.M. Italian time, after the counting of 86% of precincts, death penalty will not be abolished
USA - California. At 1 P.M. Italian time, after the counting of 86% of precincts, death penalty will not be abolished
- OCTOBER 27, 2016United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants
USA - Studies: Death Penalty Adversely Affects Families of Victims and Defendants