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
- DECEMBER 20, 2010CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Californa. A jury sentenced Melvin Forte, 60, black, to death
USA - Californa. A jury sentenced Melvin Forte, 60, black, to death
- DECEMBER 18, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
in Khanpur, Pakistan, Additional district and sessions judge sentenced Mukhtar Ahmed of Chak 199/9-R to death and fined him Rs 500,000 for shooting dead Sharifan over a matrimonial issue a couple of years ago.
- DECEMBER 18, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: THREE CONVICTED IN TWO MURDER CASES
in Kasur, Pakistan, Additional District & Sessions judge Ch Nazir Ahmed...
- DECEMBER 18, 2010PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Kevin Mattison, 34, black, to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Kevin Mattison, 34, black, to death
- DECEMBER 17, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING FIVE IN CHINA
Chen Huangye, 36, was sentenced to death by an intermediate court in Hainan province, China, for killing five people including three children on November 9, 2010, Xinhua news agency said.
- DECEMBER 16, 2010AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Judge Michael Joiner sentenced Ryan Gerald Russell, 38, white, to death
USA - Alabama. Judge Michael Joiner sentenced Ryan Gerald Russell, 38, white, to death
- DECEMBER 16, 2010OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. John David Duty, 58, white, was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary using a drug combination that includes Pentobarbital
USA - Oklahoma. John David Duty, 58, white, was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary using a drug combination that includes Pentobarbital
- DECEMBER 16, 2010CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Californa. Judge Jerome Brock sentenced Rodrigo Paniagua Jr. to death
USA - Californa. Judge Jerome Brock sentenced Rodrigo Paniagua Jr. to death
- DECEMBER 15, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR PRODUCING DRUGS IN SOUTHWEST CHINA
the Chongqing First Intermediate People's Court in China sentenced Tan
DECEMBER 15, 2010GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
Justice Joseph Enwa Ikpala of the Special Criminal Court in Banjul, The
- DECEMBER 12, 2010United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: DEATH ROW CONVICTS IN DUBAI LOSE SECOND PLEA
Presiding Judge Eisa Al Sharif of the Dubai Appeal Court rejected the appeal of Russian, S.A., 31, and Ukrainian, S.N., 35, against their death sentences in the United Arab Emirates.
- DECEMBER 12, 2010TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Only 8 people were condemned to die in Texas this year, the lowest number since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
USA - Texas. Only 8 people were condemned to die in Texas this year, the lowest number since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
- DECEMBER 12, 2010CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge James R. Wagoner sentenced David Charles Zanon, 41, white, to death
USA - California. Judge James R. Wagoner sentenced David Charles Zanon, 41, white, to death
- DECEMBER 11, 2010YemenDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN: MASTERMIND IN ADEN BLAST GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE
the Aden Specialized Criminal Court in Yemen sentenced Faris Abdullah Saleh to death
- DECEMBER 9, 2010FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge L. Page Haddock sentenced Rasheem Dubose, 26, black, to death
USA - Florida. Judge L. Page Haddock sentenced Rasheem Dubose, 26, black, to death
- DECEMBER 9, 2010FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. A jury recommended that a young woman, Emilia Carr, 26, white, be put to death
USA - Florida. A jury recommended that a young woman, Emilia Carr, 26, white, be put to death
- DECEMBER 7, 2010CubaDEATH PENALTY
CUBA COMMUTES ANOTHER BOMBER'S DEATH SENTENCE
For the second time this month, the Cuban Supreme Court commuted the death
- DECEMBER 6, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ONE GETS DEATH SENTENCE IN MURDER CASE
in Pakistan, Additional District and Sessions Judge Chaudhary Aurangzeb sentenced Syed Umar Khalid to death and fined him Rs400,000 for killing his cousin Nida Hussain.
DECEMBER 6, 2010Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTYGAZA: HAMAS COURT ORDERS EXECUTION OF 'COLLABORATOR'
the Permanent Military Court in Gaza sentenced Mamdouh Mohammed 'Eid al-'Attar, residing inside the Green Line, to death by hanging. He was convicted of collaboration with hostile parties (Israel). The sentence was issued in absentia.
- DECEMBER 2, 2010OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Supreme Court: Condemned may not challenge lethal-injection method of execution
USA - Ohio. Supreme Court: Condemned may not challenge lethal-injection method of execution
- DECEMBER 1, 2010Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
GAZA: HAMAS COURT SENTENCES POLICEMAN TO DEATH
the Permanent Military Court in Gaza sentenced Isam'il Khalil Ibrahim Nejm, from al-Shati' refugee camp, to death by firing squad. Nejm was a member of the Palestinian police in Gaza.
DECEMBER 1, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: WOMAN HANGED FOR MURDERING LOVE RIVAL
Iran hanged a woman convicted of murdering a love rival, her lawyer told the official IRNA
- NOVEMBER 30, 2010IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER
in India, Principal District & Sessions Judge S B Shukre sentenced Anil alias Anthony Arikswamy Joseph, 35, from Aaykar Bhavan, to death for murdering Lakhan Mano-har Vaidya, 10, after sodomising him on January 10, 2008
- NOVEMBER 30, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: ATC AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO THREE
an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced Abbad Ali, Fidda Hussain and Zulifqar to death for killing seven people during a robbery near Sheikhupura in 2009.
- NOVEMBER 30, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: DEATH SENTENCE AWARDED
in Sambrial, Pakistan, Additional District & Session Judge Ch. Badarud Din sentenced Muhammad Afzal to death and fined him Rs. 300,000 for killing his wife Irshad Bibi over a domestic dispute in Sherabad in March 2007.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: COURT AWARDS DEATH SENTENCES FOR MURDER
in Sialkot, Pakistan, Additional District & Session Judge Sialkot Zafar Iqbal Tarar sentenced Faraz to death and fined him Rs.100,000 for murdering Bashir Ahmad...
- NOVEMBER 29, 2010MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
sand dredger N. Balamurugan, 27, was sentenced to death by Malaysian High Court Judicial Commissioner Datuk Ahmad Yasin Nasfy for hacking his lover K. Gantimadi, 45, to death with axes in Mambau on August 16, 2008.
NOVEMBER 29, 2010IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: DEATH SENTENCE FOR THREE SADDAM AIDES
Three aides to Saddam Hussein were sentenced to death by an Iraqi court for
- NOVEMBER 26, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
NINE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN CHINA
six people were sentenced to death and three to suspended death for drug trafficking in China. Cui Changui, Li Zhanyong, Yang Linqu, Zhao Jiandong...
- NOVEMBER 25, 2010NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: COURT PASSES DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF THREE YEAR OLD
presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Isa of the High Court sitting in the Ringim Local Government