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
- NOVEMBER 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - United Nations. U.S. Death Penalty Criticized by U.N. Human Rights Council.
USA - United Nations. U.S. Death Penalty Criticized by U.N. Human Rights Council.
OCTOBER 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
USA - Reuters study suggests over 3,000 deaths a year in US prisons.
OCTOBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
USA - Published the latest edition of "Death Row USA" updated to 1 July 2020.
OCTOBER 7, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
USA - Islamic State 'Beatles' in court over US hostages' deaths.
- OCTOBER 5, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
USA - The 2020–2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened, declining to review more than 30 death-penalty cases.
OCTOBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
USA - Military. Another judge steps away from stalled Guantanamo 9/11 trial.
OCTOBER 3, 2020Vatican CityDEATH PENALTYUSA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
USA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
SEPTEMBER 29, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
USA - The Department of Justice released "Capital Punishment, 2018"
SEPTEMBER 22, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
USA - William Emmett LeCroy was executed today in the federal system.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
USA - NPR Investigation of more than 200 Autopsies Finds Executed Prisoners Experience Suffocation and Drowning.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
USA - Federal Executions Likely Caused Prison COVID-19 Outbreak.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
USA - Report Finds Rampant Government Misconduct in Death-Row Exonerations, Especially with Black Defendants.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
USA - Mississippi. Curtis Flowers Exonerated n. 171
AUGUST 31, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions
USA - Coronavirus Prison Fatalities Reaches 931, Surpass Two Decades of Executions
AUGUST 28, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed today in the federal system.
USA - Keith Nelson, 45, White, was executed today in the federal system.
AUGUST 27, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Florida. Robert Duboise, who had been sentenced to death in 1985, walked out of prison.
USA - Florida. Robert Duboise, who had been sentenced to death in 1985, walked out of prison.
AUGUST 26, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Federal. Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on death row, was executed at the federal prison in Terre Haute.
USA - Federal. Lezmond Mitchell, the only Native American on death row, was executed at the federal prison in Terre Haute.
AUGUST 26, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Autopsy Results Provide ‘Virtual Medical Certainty’ that Prisoners will Experience ‘Excruciating Pain’ During Federal Executions.
USA - Autopsy Results Provide ‘Virtual Medical Certainty’ that Prisoners will Experience ‘Excruciating Pain’ During Federal Executions.
AUGUST 10, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - Death Row USA (DRUSA) up to April 1, 2020
USA - Death Row USA (DRUSA) up to April 1, 2020
AUGUST 9, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA - California. Pedro Arias is the 12th death row prisoner to die of Covid-19
USA - California. Pedro Arias is the 12th death row prisoner to die of Covid-19
- JULY 31, 2020United StatesDEATH 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 PENALTYUSA - 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, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 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 16, 2020United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - 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 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 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.