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
- MARCH 3, 2010OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. After 20 Years, Death Row InmateJoe D'Ambrosio May Be Exonerated.
USA - Ohio. After 20 Years, Death Row InmateJoe D'Ambrosio May Be Exonerated.
- MARCH 2, 2010ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: DEATH FOR MURDER
the Thai Criminal Court sentenced Somkid Phumphuang...
- MARCH 2, 2010CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury recommended the death penalty for Tanya Nelson
USA - California. A jury recommended the death penalty for Tanya Nelson
- MARCH 1, 2010IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HONOUR KILLING INDIAN COUPLE FROM SAME CLAN
five people were sentenced to death for killing a couple from the same clan that married in 2007 in the northern Indian state of Haryana.
MARCH 1, 2010DEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT MEN HANGED FOR MURDER, DRUG TRAFFICKING
eight men have been hanged in Iran recently for murder, drug trafficking.
- FEBRUARY 28, 2010TexasDEATH PENALTY
A - Texas. Actors join death penalty protest for Linda Carty
USA - Texas. Actors join death penalty protest for Linda Carty
- FEBRUARY 27, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH ON HUNGER STRIKE
three people sentenced to death have been on hunger strike since February 23 in Jiangxi, China.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2010IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR LABOURER FOR RAPING, KILLING MINOR
in Hoshiarpur, India, Additional Session Judge Surinder Singh Sahni sentenced Mangal Singh, a migrant labourer from West Bengal, to death for raping and murdering a 5-year-old girl from Adda Saran village of the district on March 11, 2009.
- FEBRUARY 26, 2010CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. Judge Rebecca Riley sentenced Randolph “Randy” Kling to death
USA - California. Judge Rebecca Riley sentenced Randolph “Randy” Kling to death
- FEBRUARY 24, 2010KentuckyDEATH PENALTY
USA - Kentucky. A jury recommended the death penalty for Kevin Wayne Dunlap
USA - Kentucky. A jury recommended the death penalty for Kevin Wayne Dunlap
- FEBRUARY 24, 2010ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. A jury gave Manuel Ovante Jr. the death penalty
USA - Arizona. A jury gave Manuel Ovante Jr. the death penalty
- FEBRUARY 23, 2010PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. Former death-row inmate Ernest Simmons will walk free from prison on May 14
USA - Pennsylvania. Former death-row inmate Ernest Simmons will walk free from prison on May 14
- FEBRUARY 23, 2010AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. Judge Lawson Little sentenced Lameco Turner to death
USA - Alabama. Judge Lawson Little sentenced Lameco Turner to death
- FEBRUARY 22, 2010Palestinian TerritoriesDEATH PENALTY
PALESTINE: GAZA COURT ISSUES DEATH SENTENCE
in Gaza, Palestine, the Court of First Instance sentenced A. Gh., 30, to
- FEBRUARY 22, 2010JordanDEATH PENALTY
the Jordan Criminal Court sentenced a man to death...
the Jordan Criminal Court sentenced a man to death for robbing and murdering a store owner in Mahes in January 2007.
- FEBRUARY 22, 2010AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the death sentence for Ronnie Lynn Kirksey
USA - Alabama. A jury recommended the death sentence for Ronnie Lynn Kirksey
- FEBRUARY 21, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINESE MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERING 13
a Chinese man was sentenced to death for murdering 13 people, robbery and rape between May 1996 and January 2005.
- FEBRUARY 19, 2010LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANON: PALESTINIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN LEBANON
a Lebanese military court sentenced Palestinian Hussein Khattab to death in absentia for being involved in the murders of members of Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad.
- FEBRUARY 19, 2010OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oklahoma. A jury recommended the death penalty for William Eugene Davis
USA - Oklahoma. A jury recommended the death penalty for William Eugene Davis
- FEBRUARY 19, 2010FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Judge Richard Luce sentenced John Lee Hampton to death
USA - Florida. Judge Richard Luce sentenced John Lee Hampton to death
- FEBRUARY 18, 2010LebanonDEATH PENALTY
LEBANESE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR SPYING FOR ISRAEL
A retired member of Lebanon's Internal Security Forces was sentenced to death for having spied for Israel and for his involvement in the murder of two Palestinian militant leaders.
- FEBRUARY 18, 2010South CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Dakota. A measure to repeal death penalty failed today after a vote at the House Health Committee
USA - South Dakota. A measure to repeal death penalty failed today after a vote at the House Health Committee
- FEBRUARY 17, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: THREE GET DEATH, LIFE IN DOUBLE MURDER CASE
in Gojra, Pakistan, Additional District and Sessions Judge Syed Muzaffar Shah sentenced...
FEBRUARY 17, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TIES TO MONARCHIST GROUP
An Iranian court sentenced Amir-Reza Arefi to death for ties to an illegal group called the Iranian
- FEBRUARY 12, 2010DEATH PENALTY
ARIZONA: OLDEST US DEATH ROW INMATE DIES
Oldest US death row inmate died in Arizona. Viva Leroy Nash, 94, white, died late Friday
- FEBRUARY 12, 2010ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH AND THEN SENTENCE COMMUTED
the Thai Criminal Court sentenced Somkid Phumphuang, 45, from Nakhon Si Thammarat, to death for murdering Sompong Pimpornpisom, 25, a masseuse, at Buri Ram on June 20, 2005. The death sentence was commuted to life due to his confession.
- FEBRUARY 11, 2010PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: SIALKOT: DEATH SENTENCE AWARDED
in Sialkot, Pakistan, Additional District & Session Judge Muhammad Sheraz Kiyani awarded the death sentence and a fine of Rs.200, 000 each to Zafar Iqbal, Shams, Muhammad Arshad and Amjad. They allegedly murdered five people over a marriage dispute during
- FEBRUARY 11, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: GANG LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH WITH REPRIEVE
mob boss Yue Ning was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for organising criminal gangs and prostitution rackets in southwest China's Chongqing City between 1998 and 2009.
- FEBRUARY 10, 2010ChinaDEATH PENALTY
SEVEN GET DEATH PENALTY FOR TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN IN E CHINA
SEVEN GET DEATH PENALTY FOR TRAFFICKING OF WOMEN IN E CHINA February 10, 2010: the Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court in east China's Zhejiang Province sentenced three gang leaders to death for trafficking of women, rape and robbery, while four gang me
FEBRUARY 10, 2010ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR POSSESSING HEROIN
ten years after his arrest, Pharuehas Krirkkreosakul was sentenced to death by the Thai Supreme Court