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
- OCTOBER 16, 2007NevadaDEATH PENALTY
USA: NEVADA COURT STAYS EXECUTION OF MURDERER AT 11TH HOUR
the execution of a convicted murderer in Nevada was stayed at the 11th hour on Monday after an appeal by rights groups over the method of lethal injection to be used.
- OCTOBER 15, 2007TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN HAS NOT EXECUTED ANYONE FOR TWO YEARS: PRESIDENT
Tawianese President Chen Shui-bian said that no death row convict has been executed in Taiwan for nearly two years and that he has always wanted the death penalty being phased out completely from the country.
- OCTOBER 10, 2007AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
AUSTRALIAN PM STANDS BY BALI BOMBER DEATH PENALTY
the Australian prime minister, John Howard...
- OCTOBER 10, 2007United StatesDEATH PENALTY
the U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in Medellin v. Texas...
the U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in Medellin v. Texas...
- OCTOBER 3, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: PATNA COURT GRANTS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT TO ANAND MOHAN
the Patna Civil court in India awarded the death sentence to former parliamentarian Anand Mohan and his co-conspirators Bikramganj Akhlaq Ahmed and Arun Kumar Sinha for the lynching of Gopalganj District Magistrate G Krishnaiah in 1994.
- OCTOBER 3, 2007OhioDEATH PENALTY
Kenny Richey was back behind bars last night after a judge set his bail at $10 million...
Kenny Richey was back behind bars last night after a judge set his bail at $10 million, effectively thwarting his latest bid for freedom.
- OCTOBER 2, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA. EBONYI, KATSINA, SOKOTO PARDON 86 PRISONERS
three states in Nigeria- Ebonyi, Katsina and Sokoto - released a total of 86
- OCTOBER 2, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR TORTURING EX-GIRLFRIEND
a man from northwest China's Shaanxi Province was sentenced to death with a two year reprieve and deprived of his political rights for life for torturing and attempting to murder his ex-girlfriend.
- OCTOBER 2, 2007HondurasDEATH PENALTY
TEXAS (USA). COURT OF CRIMINAL APPEALS DECISION SIGNALS LIKELY SHUTDOWN OF EXECUTIONS
the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has granted a stay of execution to Heliberto
- OCTOBER 2, 2007KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
SEVENTEEN FOREIGNERS AWAITING EXECUTION IN KYRGYZSTAN
according to the Citizens Against Corruption Human Rights Centre, a total of 17 foreigners are in Kyrgyzstan’s death row. The majority are citizens of the post-Soviet states, with three from other foreign countries
- OCTOBER 2, 2007BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: MAN TO GO TO GALLOWS FOR KILLING WIFE IN PANCHAGARH
a court in Panchagarh, Bangladesh, sentenced a man to death for killing his wife about 12 years ago.
- OCTOBER 1, 2007GuatemalaDEATH PENALTY
GUATEMALA. BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES PLEDGE TO REVIVE DEATH PENALTY
the two presidential candidates in Guatemala’s November 4 runoff election have
- OCTOBER 1, 2007TexasDEATH PENALTY
a federal judge has ordered a new trial for Robert Fratta.
a federal judge has ordered a new trial for Robert Fratta.
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2007EgyptDEATH PENALTY
EGYPTIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN JORDAN FOR MURDER
the Criminal Court in Amman, Jordan, sentenced Ahmad M., a 22 year old Egyptian man, to death after convicting him of murdering Midhat Ibrahim, 31, also an Egyptian, over JD200 in a deserted area in Wadi Seer in December, 2005.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2007ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA. 3 DEATH SENTENCES IN CHINA FOR RAT POISON CRIMES OF PASSION
three people were sentenced to death in China this week for murdering their partners with rat poison.
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2007GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR TABARA SAMBA
Tabara Samba was sentenced to death at the Kanifing Magistrates’ Court in Gambia for the murder of Ebrima Nyan...
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2007IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. BALI BOMBERS APPEALS REJECTED
Indonesia's top court said it rejected final appeals of three Islamic militants
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2007United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA. SUPREME COURT TO RULE ON LETHAL INJECTION EXECUTIONS
The US Supreme Court said it would decide whether the commonly used lethal
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2007TexasDEATH PENALTY
Michael Richard was executed. He had been convicted in the Aug. 18...
Michael Richard was executed. He had been convicted in the Aug. 18, 1986 rape and murder of 53-year-old Marguerite Lucille Dixon.
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2007BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: SC LETS DEATH ROW PRISONERS APPEAL
the Bangladeshi Supreme Court granted applications by the condemned prisoners in the Bangabandhu murder case to appeal against their death sentences.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2007VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM: AUSTRALIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN VIETNAM
a Vietnamese court handed the death penalty to an Australian man it found guilty of trafficking almost one kilogram of heroin.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN COURT SENTENCES TWO TEENAGERS TO DEATH FOR RAPE
an Iranian court sentenced two teenagers to death on the charges of rape
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2007VietnamDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a Vietnamese court gave death sentences to three Vietnamese
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2007CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
Alexander Hamilton, who was 18 when he murdered police Officer Larry Lasater...
Alexander Hamilton, who was 18 when he murdered police Officer Larry Lasater...
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2007LouisianaDEATH PENALTY
Attorneys for Patrick Kennedy...
Attorneys for Patrick Kennedy...
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2007AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
LaSamuel Gamble, 29, no longer faces the death penalty for his role in the killing of two people...
LaSamuel Gamble, 29, no longer faces the death penalty for his role in the killing of two people...
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2007PakistanDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN: TWO AWARDED DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER OF FAMILY
two men were awarded the death penalty and fined Rs 400,000 each by the district and sessions court for killing four members of a family here.
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2007ThailandDEATH PENALTY
THAILAND: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF RUSSIAN TOURISTS
a 26 year old man was sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of two female Russian tourists at Pattaya's Jomtien Beach on February 24, 2007.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTY
10 IRAQI CULT MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
ten members of an Iraqi doomsday cult were sentenced to death for their roles in a January rebellion against Iraqi and US troops that left hundreds dead, police said.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER IN PUBLIC OUTSIDE TEHRAN
Iran hanged a convicted murderer in public in a town just south of the capital Tehran...