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
- JUNE 21, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
At the first World Congress Against the Death Penalty,...
At the first World Congress Against the Death Penalty, Walter Schwimmer, the secretary-general of the Council of Europe, denounced the United States' use of capital punishment
- JUNE 6, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The U
The U
- MAY 14, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
EP Glyn FORD, of the Party of European Socialists called...
EP Glyn FORD, of the Party of European Socialists called for the death sentence on Timothy McVeigh to be commuted to life imprisonment
- MAY 10, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In line with established EU practice, the Swedish Presidency...
In line with established EU practice, the Swedish Presidency of the European Union on May 10, 2001 made a demarche to the U
- MAY 10, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
An article in the New York times stated that support...
An article in the New York times stated that support for capital punishment in the United State's was dropping
- MAY 8, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Former Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh, who...
Former Assistant Secretary of State Harold Koh, who led two U
- MAY 5, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
An ABC News Poll found that 51% of Americans support...
An ABC News Poll found that 51% of Americans support a nationwide moratorium on executions while a commission studies whether the death penalty is applied fairly
- MAY 4, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A nationwide poll released earlier this month by USA...
A nationwide poll released earlier this month by USA Today shows that general support for the death penalty has fallen to 59%
- APRIL 26, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A Reuters/Zogby poll found that 75 % of respondents...
A Reuters/Zogby poll found that 75 % of respondents favoured the death penalty, while 22 % said they were against executions in all circumstances
- APRIL 25, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Speaking at the UN Commission on Human Rights during...
Speaking at the UN Commission on Human Rights during the vote on the resolution on the death penalty, a representative of the United States said his delegation would not support the resolution as drafted
- APRIL 18, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A federal judge late rejected an Internet company's...
A federal judge late rejected an Internet company's request to broadcast over the Web the execution of convicted Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh
- APRIL 6, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Actress Susan Sarandon, star of the film 'Dead Man...
Actress Susan Sarandon, star of the film 'Dead Man Walking' declared the death penalty "expensive, arbitrary and capricious
- APRIL 4, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
International Views: Use of the Death Penalty Could...
International Views: Use of the Death Penalty Could Result in Withdrawal of U
- MARCH 25, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A national poll recently conducted by Peter D
A national poll recently conducted by Peter D
- MARCH 6, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
During the first meeting between the new US administration...
During the first meeting between the new US administration and the representatives of the European Union, EU Council President Anna Lindh, High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and External Relations Commissioner Chris P
- MARCH 4, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The Rutherford Institute Urges President Bush to Declare...
The Rutherford Institute Urges President Bush to Declare a Death Penalty Moratorium In a letter to President Bush, John W
- JANUARY 31, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
On the 1st anniversary of Illinois' death penalty moratorium,...
On the 1st anniversary of Illinois' death penalty moratorium, Wisconsin Sen
- JANUARY 1, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In the USA there are 38 retentionist states (of which...
In the USA there are 38 retentionist states (of which at least 35 have very active death penalty dockets), 11 circuits with many federal district courts in each circuit all handling death penalty cases, all making law, some in conflict with others
- JANUARY 1, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
May: a gallup Poll found that nationwide support for...
May: a gallup Poll found that nationwide support for the death penalty had fallen to 65% a significant 15% decline from 1994, and the lowest support in 23 years
- JANUARY 1, 2001United StatesDEATH PENALTY
October: a gallup Poll following the September 11th...
October: a gallup Poll following the September 11th terrorist attacks on the USA founf that, within the margin of error of the poll, support for the death penalty (68%) had not measurably increased
- DECEMBER 18, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, upon receiving 3
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, upon receiving 3
- DECEMBER 17, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
December 17-18, 2000: An investigative series by the...
December 17-18, 2000: An investigative series by the Chicago Tribune examined the cases of four death row inmates who were executed despite evidence of their innocence
- DECEMBER 11, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A poll of potential jurors by The National Law Journal...
A poll of potential jurors by The National Law Journal and Decision Quest found that recent exonerations of death row inmates, both by DNA and outside investigations, have made 31% of potential voters more inclined to vote for life imprisonment instead of
- NOVEMBER 20, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
In a letter delivered to the White House, religious,...
In a letter delivered to the White House, religious, civil rights, and political leaders urged President Clinton to declare a moratorium on federal executions
- NOVEMBER 15, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The U
The U
- NOVEMBER 13, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public...
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) held public hearings in the case Germany v
- NOVEMBER 1, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
First Federal Execution Delayed
First Federal Execution Delayed
- OCTOBER 27, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Death sentence for Texas defendant represented by sleeping...
Death sentence for Texas defendant represented by sleeping lawyer
- OCTOBER 26, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
A preliminary report of the Grassroots Investigation...
A preliminary report of the Grassroots Investigation Project of Equal Justice USA highlights the cases of 16 individuals who were executed despite evidence of their innocence
- OCTOBER 24, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Prominent U
Prominent U