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
- APRIL 3, 2019TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. Texas bars all spiritual advisers from death chambers
USA - Texas. Texas bars all spiritual advisers from death chambers
APRIL 3, 2019EgyptDEATH PENALTYEGYPT: POLICEMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING CHRISTIAN FATHER AND SON
An Egyptian policeman found guilty of killing a Christian man and his son in a case that outraged the minority Coptic community was sentenced to death on 2 April 2019, judicial sources said.
- APRIL 3, 2019ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Kenneth Wayne Thompson to death.
USA - Arizona. A jury sentenced Kenneth Wayne Thompson to death.
- APRIL 1, 2019DEATH PENALTY
FLORIDA (USA): MAN AND NEPHEW WHO SPENT 42 YEARS IN PRISON CLEARED OF MURDER
After 43 years in prison, including 4 on death row, Clifford Williams has become Florida's 29th Death Row exoneration
MARCH 29, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: FIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER WAR CRIMES IN NETROKONA
A court in Netrokona has sentenced to death five fugitives on charges of torture, abduction, murder and rape during the Liberation War in 1971 in Purbodhala.
- MARCH 28, 2019FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Clifford Williams exonerated.
USA - Florida. Clifford Williams exonerated.
- MARCH 28, 2019TexasDEATH PENALTY
USA - Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a stay of execution to Patrick Murphy for "religious reasons"
USA - Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a stay of execution to Patrick Murphy for "religious reasons"
- MARCH 28, 2019PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentence Jacob Sullivan, 46, White, to death.
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentence Jacob Sullivan, 46, White, to death.
MARCH 27, 2019United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: ASIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HIS WIFE
The Fujairah Criminal Court has sentenced an Asian man to death for killing his wife, an Arab woman.
MARCH 26, 2019IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: YEZIDI MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
An Iraqi court on 25 March 2019 sentenced a Yezidi (Ezidi) man to death for joining the Islamic State and participating in crimes against his own religious minority group in the town of Sinjar (Shingal) in 2014.
- MARCH 25, 2019Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI TO EXTRADITE EGYPTIAN DEATH ROW CONVICT
An Egyptian convicted of murder in Egypt is to be flown back to his home country, according to Sabq.
MARCH 25, 2019ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA: LUSAKA BUSINESSMAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING WIFE, HER LOVER
The Lusaka High Court has sentenced to death a businessman who shot dead his wife and her alleged lover in Meanwood area last July, The Zambian Observer reported on 24 March 2019.
- MARCH 25, 2019PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Jacob Sullivan to death
USA - Pennsylvania. A jury sentenced Jacob Sullivan to death
MARCH 22, 2019SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES TWO AL-SHABAB MILITANTS TO DEATH
Somalia's military court on 20 March 2019 sentenced two al-Shabab militants to death for their participation in terrorist attacks and killings.
MARCH 21, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: 4 TO DIE FOR DOUBLE MURDER IN MYMENSINGH
A court in Mymensingh on 20 March 2019 sentenced four people to death for killing two siblings in Tarakanda upazila in 2001.
- MARCH 21, 2019TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. Senate passed SB 0400 to reduce appeals for death sentences
USA - Tennessee. Senate passed SB 0400 to reduce appeals for death sentences
- MARCH 21, 2019FloridaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Florida. Ronald Stewart Posthumously Exonerated
USA - Florida. Ronald Stewart Posthumously Exonerated
- MARCH 20, 2019CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - California. A jury has recommended death for Jesse Perez Torres
USA - California. A jury has recommended death for Jesse Perez Torres
MARCH 19, 2019IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: BELGIAN MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BELONGING TO ISLAMIC STATE
An Iraqi court sentenced a Belgian man to death by hanging on 18 March 2019 for being part of the Islamic State militant group.
MARCH 19, 2019VietnamDEATH PENALTYVIETNAM: 3 DRUG TRAFFICKERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Vietnamese court has sentenced three local people to death and another to life imprisonment for drug trafficking, according to local media on 19 march 2019
- MARCH 19, 2019South CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
USA - South Carolina. Federal judge Bruce Howe Hendricks overturned the death sentence of James Bryant
USA - South Carolina. Federal judge Bruce Howe Hendricks overturned the death sentence of James Bryant
- MARCH 18, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: AIR FORCE FORMER SERGEANT SENTENCED TO DEATH
MARCH 18, 2019JapanDEATH PENALTYJAPAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING 3 PEOPLE, 2 BODIES STILL NOT FOUND
A Japanese court sentenced a 52-year-old man to death on 15 March 2019 for killing three men in western Japan between 2010 and 2011, though two of the three bodies have yet to be located.
- MARCH 18, 2019TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. The House passed HB 0258 for less appeals in death-penalty cases.
USA - Tennessee. The House passed HB 0258 for less appeals in death-penalty cases.
- MARCH 18, 2019AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Alabama. A jury sentenced Michael Belcher to death
USA - Alabama. A jury sentenced Michael Belcher to death
- MARCH 14, 2019BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: 3 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MYMENSINGH MURDER
A court in Mymensingh on 10 March 2019 sentenced three people to death for killing an auto-rickshaw driver in a bid to snatch away the vehicle in 2011, reports UNB.
MARCH 14, 2019ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: UNDERWEAR ROBBER, SERIAL KILLER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A serial killer dubbed the “Underwear Robber” for stealing his victims’ clothes and forcing them to walk naked was on 12 March 2019 handed a death as well as a life sentence for killing three people and robbing them of their cellphones and money.
- MARCH 13, 2019NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA: BAKER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY HANGING FOR ARMED ROBBERY
A 30-year-old baker, Moroofu Shina, has been sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Kabiru Olawoyin of an Oyo State High court, Oyo Judicial Division after being found guilty of armed robbery, the Tribune reported on 7 March 2019.
MARCH 12, 2019IraqDEATH PENALTYIRAQ: 3 MEN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER BOMBING SHIITE SHRINE IN BAGHDAD
An Iraqi court has sentenced three men to death by hanging over detonating an explosive charge at a Shiite religious shrine in Baghdad.
MARCH 11, 2019ThailandDEATH PENALTYTHAILAND: GUNMAN IN 2017 DEALERSHIP RAID SENTENCED TO DIE
One of several gunmen accused of stealing pickup trucks at gunpoint and killing a hostage was sentenced to death on 12 February 2019 by a southern court.