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
- MARCH 27, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal judge bars import of execution drug.
USA - Federal judge bars import of execution drug.
- MARCH 23, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal. Judge removes 1 of 2 women on federal death row: Angela Johnson, 48, white
USA - Federal. Judge removes 1 of 2 women on federal death row: Angela Johnson, 48, white
- MARCH 19, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Bruce Springsteen is lending his support to People of Faith Against the Death Penalty
USA - Bruce Springsteen is lending his support to People of Faith Against the Death Penalty
- MARCH 14, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - About false confessions
USA - About false confessions
- MARCH 9, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 500 Taser deaths in the United States.
USA - 500 Taser deaths in the United States.
- FEBRUARY 9, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Death row inmates sue to stop FDA from allowing importation of drug used in executions
USA - Death row inmates sue to stop FDA from allowing importation of drug used in executions
- FEBRUARY 8, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The latest edition of "Death Row USA" shows a decrease of 31 inmates between January 1 and July 1, 2011
USA - The latest edition of "Death Row USA" shows a decrease of 31 inmates between January 1 and July 1, 2011
- JANUARY 24, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Professor Victor Streib has published the latest edition of his periodic reports, Death Penalty for Female Offenders.
USA - Professor Victor Streib has published the latest edition of his periodic reports, Death Penalty for Female Offenders.
- JANUARY 23, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, 49, white, becomes the Nation's 140th Death Row Exonerated
USA - Ohio. Joe D'Ambrosio, 49, white, becomes the Nation's 140th Death Row Exonerated
- JANUARY 18, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 14 activists arrested yesterday at U.S. Supreme Court
USA - 14 activists arrested yesterday at U.S. Supreme Court
- JANUARY 17, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Europe. European court of human rights dismisses appeals against extradition to US by Briton Phillip Harkins and American Joshua Edwards.
USA - Europe. European court of human rights dismisses appeals against extradition to US by Briton Phillip Harkins and American Joshua Edwards.
JANUARY 9, 2012IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AMERICAN EX-MARINE AMIR MIRZA HEKMATI SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING
An American ex-Marine, who also holds Iranian citizenship, has been sentenced
- JANUARY 8, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Lundbeck is selling the Pentobarbital rights
USA - Lundbeck is selling the Pentobarbital rights
- JANUARY 6, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. The latest edition of the NAACP "Death Row USA" showed a decrease of 29 inmates in the death row population between January 1 and April 1, 2011
USA. The latest edition of the NAACP "Death Row USA" showed a decrease of 29 inmates in the death row population between January 1 and April 1, 2011
- JANUARY 6, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Doctors from around the world call on Hospira to impose restrictions on sale of muscle relaxant for use in lethal injections.
USA - Doctors from around the world call on Hospira to impose restrictions on sale of muscle relaxant for use in lethal injections.
- JANUARY 1, 2012United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Of the 50 states that make up the United States of America, 38 have the death penalty.
Of the 50 states that make up the United States of America, 38 have the death penalty.
- DECEMBER 20, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - European Union. European Union restricts sale of execution drugs
USA - European Union. European Union restricts sale of execution drugs
- DECEMBER 15, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
USA - The death penalty in 2011: Year end report - Executions Decline, Death Sentences Fall Well Below 100
- DECEMBER 12, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - European Union. Europe Restricts Export Of sodium thiopental
USA - European Union. Europe Restricts Export Of sodium thiopental
- NOVEMBER 11, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
'INTO THE ABYSS' REVIEW: EMOTIONS ON DEATH ROW
"Into the Abyss", a Werner Herzog documentary about a killer on Death Row, opens
- OCTOBER 20, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Federal. U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf threw out the federal death penalty against Gary Sampson, 52, white
USA - Federal. U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf threw out the federal death penalty against Gary Sampson, 52, white
- OCTOBER 13, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Galluo Pool: Death penalty support lowest ever
USA - Galluo Pool: Death penalty support lowest ever
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Former Justice John Paul Stevens: I Was Wrong on the Death Penalty.
USA - Former Justice John Paul Stevens: I Was Wrong on the Death Penalty.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Georgia. White House: No Troy Davis Call By President Obama
USA - Georgia. White House: No Troy Davis Call By President Obama
- JULY 13, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The Leal Case. The Washington Post: Congress should act before another foreign national is denied consular access
USA - The Leal Case. The Washington Post: Congress should act before another foreign national is denied consular access
- JULY 11, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Idaho. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out the death penalty of Joseph Edward Duncan, 48, white
USA - Idaho. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has thrown out the death penalty of Joseph Edward Duncan, 48, white
- JULY 8, 2011MexicoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Governor defends Leal’s execution despite criticism
USA - Texas. Governor defends Leal’s execution despite criticism
- JULY 8, 2011MexicoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. UN reaction to Humberto Leal's execution
USA - Texas. UN reaction to Humberto Leal's execution
- JULY 7, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. U.S. seeks to limit damage of Texas execution case.
USA - Texas. U.S. seeks to limit damage of Texas execution case.
- JULY 7, 2011United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Humberto Leal, 38, hispanic, was executed despite Obama's pressures
USA - Texas. Humberto Leal, 38, hispanic, was executed despite Obama's pressures