Death sentences
Archive theme
A death sentence is not the same thing as an execution: years can pass between the two, and the sentence may be overturned on appeal, commuted, or never carried out. Counting them separately measures two different things: how far a state resorts to capital punishment, and how far it actually applies it.
This page collects the news on death sentences handed down around the world, on the later stages of appeal, and on the sentences upheld or overturned. Executions have a page of their own.
Latest news
JUNE 3, 2015Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA: SIX INDONESIANS ON DEATH ROW RELEASED AFTER INDONESIA AGREED TO PAY BLOOD MONEY
six Indonesian citizens sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia were released and arrived home, after the
- JUNE 2, 2015AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury has recommended 11-1 the death penalty for Heather Keaton, 26, White.
USA - Alabama. A jury has recommended 11-1 the death penalty for Heather Keaton, 26, White.
- MAY 29, 2015FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge William Fuente sentenced Edward Covington to death
USA - Florida. Judge William Fuente sentenced Edward Covington to death
- MAY 28, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA CONVICTS CAN'T BE HANGED SECRETLY AND HURRIEDLY, SAYS SUPREME COURT
Supreme Court has said that execution of death row convicts cannot be carried out in an arbitrary, hurried
- MAY 28, 2015NebraskaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Nebraska. Analysis of Nebraska’s vote
USA - Nebraska. Analysis of Nebraska’s vote
MAY 28, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: 9 DEATH ROW CONVICTS EXECUTED IN VARIOUS JAILS OF THE COUNTRY
Nine more death row prisoners were hanged in seven jails of Pakistan between May 27 and 28.
- MAY 27, 2015ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arkansas. A jury sentenced Zachary Holly to death
USA - Arkansas. A jury sentenced Zachary Holly to death
- MAY 26, 2015DEATH PENALTY
INDIANA (USA): PAULA COOPER, ONCE US'S YOUNGEST DEATH ROW INMATE, DEAD IN APPARENT SUICIDE
Indianapolis police said 45-year-old Paula Cooper was found dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound outside a residence on the city's north-west side.
- MAY 26, 2015IndianaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Indiana. Paula Cooper, once US's youngest death row inmate, dead in apparent suicide.
USA - Indiana. Paula Cooper, once US's youngest death row inmate, dead in apparent suicide.
- MAY 26, 2015CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Richard A. Erwood sentenced Miguel Enrique Felix, 34, Hispanic, to death.
USA - California. Judge Richard A. Erwood sentenced Miguel Enrique Felix, 34, Hispanic, to death.
- MAY 25, 2015Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
the Court of First Instance in Gaza City sentenced M. Z. H., from al-Shuja'iya neighbourhood in Gaza City,
the Court of First Instance in Gaza City sentenced M. Z. H., from al-Shuja'iya neighbourhood in Gaza City,
MAY 23, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FOUR MURDER CONVICTS HANGED IN LAHORE, MULTAN AND SAHIWAL
At least four murder convicts were sent to the gallows in the jails of Lahore, Multan and Sahiwal, raising the total number of executions to 111 since Pakistan reversed the self-imposed moratorium on the death penalty in December 2014 after the Taliban sc
MAY 22, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: COUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SELLING DRUGS
The Pinrang District Court of South Sulawesi has sentenced a couple, Amir alias Dawang, 45, and his wife Maemunah, 43, to death for selling drugs.
MAY 17, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: SIX ALLEGED TERRORISTS HANGED IN CAIRO
six men with alleged ties to a terrorist group were hanged in a Cairo jail over violence that followed the 2013 ouster of President Mohammed Morsi.
- MAY 16, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ONE DEATH ROW CONVICT HANGED IN LAHORE
Another murder convict was executed in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail, raising the total number of executions
- MAY 16, 2015TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. A jury sentenced Henry Lee Jones, 51, Black, to death
USA - Tennessee. A jury sentenced Henry Lee Jones, 51, Black, to death
MAY 16, 2015EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: FORMER LEADER MORSY GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE IN JAILBREAK CASE
Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsy was sentenced by a Cairo court to death -- the latest judicial
MAY 15, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTYUSA: BOSTON MARATHON BOMBER SENTENCED TO DEATH, A PURELY SYMBOLIC JUDGEMENT IN A DE FACTO MORATORIUM REGIME
Dzhohkar Tsarnaev was sentenced to death by a federal jury for helping carry out the 2013 attack that killed three people and wounded 264 others in the crowds at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. But his execution may not happen for decades – if eve
- MAY 15, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - A federal jury sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for setting off bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon
USA - A federal jury sentenced Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to death for setting off bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon
MAY 14, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: NIGERIAN FEMALE STUDENT SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A female Nigerian student was sent to the gallows by the Malaysian High Court after she was found guilty of
- MAY 14, 2015PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Jordan Clemons, 26, Black, to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Jordan Clemons, 26, Black, to death
- MAY 12, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 2 TO WALK GALLOWS FOR DOUBLE-MURDER
A Dhaka court awarded death penalty to two persons and life-term jail to one for killing an elderly couple in
- MAY 12, 2015FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced Zachary Taylor Wood to death
USA - Florida. Judge Christopher Patterson sentenced Zachary Taylor Wood to death
- MAY 11, 2015MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: TWO 16-YEAR-OLD MURDER CONVICTS SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Juvenile Court sentenced two 16-year-old murder convicts to death.
- MAY 9, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: TWO INDONESIANS SPARED FROM DEATH PENALTY
Two Indonesians spared recently from the death penalty by a Malaysian court are slated to return soon to
- MAY 8, 2015LouisianaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Louisiana. A jury unanimously recommended the death penalty for Lee Turner Jr.
USA - Louisiana. A jury unanimously recommended the death penalty for Lee Turner Jr.
- MAY 6, 2015FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Dava Tunis sentenced Rafael Andres, 51, Hispanic, to death
USA - Florida. Judge Dava Tunis sentenced Rafael Andres, 51, Hispanic, to death
- MAY 4, 2015MississippiDEATH PENALTY
USA - Mississippi. Willie Manning Becomes 153rd Person Added to the Death Penalty Information Center's Innocence List
USA - Mississippi. Willie Manning Becomes 153rd Person Added to the Death Penalty Information Center's Innocence List
- MAY 3, 2015CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Bernard Schwartz sentenced Belinda Magana and Naresh Narine to death
USA - California. Judge Bernard Schwartz sentenced Belinda Magana and Naresh Narine to death
MAY 2, 2015SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MARTIAL COURT SENTENCES AL SHABAB MEMBER TO DEATH
Somalia’s martial court sentenced one man to death in a ruling that saw seven members of Al Shabab receive a diverse judgment.