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
- 1,537
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 1,537 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 17, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Vatican City. 75 Catholic priests and scholars ask Francis to backtrack on death penalty
USA - Vatican City. 75 Catholic priests and scholars ask Francis to backtrack on death penalty
- AUGUST 3, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 36 different offenses in the Bible qualified for capital punishment.
USA - 36 different offenses in the Bible qualified for capital punishment.
- JULY 31, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Military. An Air Force court martial jury had imposed a life sentence on senior airman Andrew Witt
USA - Military. An Air Force court martial jury had imposed a life sentence on senior airman Andrew Witt
- JULY 30, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Michael Graczyk, who witnessed more than 400 executions as a reporter in Texas, has retired
USA - Texas. Michael Graczyk, who witnessed more than 400 executions as a reporter in Texas, has retired
- JULY 12, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A German medical company is suspected of illegally shipping pentobarbital
USA - A German medical company is suspected of illegally shipping pentobarbital
- JULY 10, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Police kills 50 times more than judges, and private citizens 45 times more.
USA - Police kills 50 times more than judges, and private citizens 45 times more.
JULY 10, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: POLICE KILL 50 TIMES MORE THAN THE JUDGES, AND PRIVATE CITIZENS 45 TIMES MORE
Police kill 50 times more than the judges, and private citizens 45 times more. According to "Killed By Police" (killedbypolice.net), from the beginning of the year to June 30, the police in the US have already killed 617 people.
- JULY 6, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces sentenced Andrew Witt to life without parole.
USA - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces sentenced Andrew Witt to life without parole.
- JULY 5, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Col. Vance Spath, the military judge presiding over the Guantánamo proceedings, announced his retirement.
USA - Col. Vance Spath, the military judge presiding over the Guantánamo proceedings, announced his retirement.
- JUNE 27, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Author of Key Death-Penalty Decisions, Retires.
USA - Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Author of Key Death-Penalty Decisions, Retires.
- JUNE 13, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. A federal jury sentenced Ricky Fackrell and Christopher Cramer to death
USA - Texas. A federal jury sentenced Ricky Fackrell and Christopher Cramer to death
- JUNE 12, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Television Documentary on Two Death-Row Prisoners, Darlie Lynn Routier and Julius Jones
USA - Television Documentary on Two Death-Row Prisoners, Darlie Lynn Routier and Julius Jones
- JUNE 11, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pew Research Center survey, support for the death penalty has increased
USA - Pew Research Center survey, support for the death penalty has increased
- JUNE 4, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The European Union has released an online archive of its engagement with death-penalty cases in the USA
USA - The European Union has released an online archive of its engagement with death-penalty cases in the USA
- MAY 23, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Federal. A federal judge has found that Estaben Santiago competent to enter a guilty plea
USA - Florida. Federal. A federal judge has found that Estaben Santiago competent to enter a guilty plea
- MAY 1, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal prosecutors have reached a plea agreement with Esteban Santiago
USA - Federal prosecutors have reached a plea agreement with Esteban Santiago
- APRIL 30, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - BJS Releases “Capital Punishment, 2016”.
USA - BJS Releases “Capital Punishment, 2016”.
- APRIL 7, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Study Analyzes Causes of “Astonishing Plunge” in Death Sentences
USA - Study Analyzes Causes of “Astonishing Plunge” in Death Sentences
APRIL 7, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: STUDY ANALYZES CAUSES OF ‘ASTONISHING PLUNGE’ IN DEATH SENTENCES
Multiple factors have collectively led to an “astonishing plunge” in death sentences over the last twenty years, according to a new study, Lethal Rejection, published in the 2017/2018 Albany Law Review.
- MARCH 22, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - New Quinnipiac University National Poll on death penalty
USA - New Quinnipiac University National Poll on death penalty
- MARCH 22, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: AMERICAN VOTERS CHOOSE LIFE IN PRISON WITH NO CHANCE OF PAROLE
In a simple question, American voters support the death penalty 58 - 33 percent for persons convicted of murder, according to a Quinnipiac University National Poll released today.
- MARCH 21, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Attorney General tells prosecutors to seek death penalty in drug cases.
USA - Attorney General tells prosecutors to seek death penalty in drug cases.
MARCH 21, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: ATTORNEY GENERAL TELLS PROSECUTORS TO SEEK DEATH PENALTY IN DRUG CASES
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed federal prosecutors on Wednesday to seek the death penalty in drug-related cases whenever it is legally permissible.
- MARCH 15, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA: TWO EXECUTIONS IN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA
Two prisoners were executed in the states of Alabama and Georgia, leading to 5 executions since the start of the year in the US and to 1,471 prisoners put to death since the US resumed executions in 1977.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Trump wants drug dealers to face death penalty.
USA - Trump wants drug dealers to face death penalty.
- FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Lack of Death-Penalty Counsel Brings Guantánamo War Crimes Trial to a Halt.
USA - Lack of Death-Penalty Counsel Brings Guantánamo War Crimes Trial to a Halt.
- FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun to life in prison.
USA - U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun to life in prison.
FEBRUARY 16, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: AL QAEDA OPERATIVE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan in New York City today sentenced Al Qaeda operative Ibrahim Suleiman Adnan Adam Harun, 47, to life in prison.
- FEBRUARY 13, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - At Guantanamo trial, Military judge wants civilian attorneys arrested for quitting al Nashiri’s case
USA - At Guantanamo trial, Military judge wants civilian attorneys arrested for quitting al Nashiri’s case
- FEBRUARY 10, 2018United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pentagon Fires Harvey Rishikof, War Court Official Who Was Attempting to Negotiate End to Guantánamo Death-Penalty Trial.
USA - Pentagon Fires Harvey Rishikof, War Court Official Who Was Attempting to Negotiate End to Guantánamo Death-Penalty Trial.