May 17 New law in South Carolina makes inmates choose electric chair or firing squad By Associated Press South Carolina had been one of the most prolific states of its size in putting inmates to death. But a lack of lethal injection drugs brought executions to a halt. Continue reading
Feb 22 Virginia lawmakers vote to abolish the death penalty By Denise Lavoie, Sarah Rankin, Associated Press Virginia's Democratic majority pushed the repeal effort, arguing that the death penalty has been applied disproportionately to people of color, the mentally ill and the indigent. Continue reading
Feb 17 AP report: Executioners sanitized accounts of deaths in federal cases By Michael Tarm, Associated Press An Associated Press review of court filings shows executioners who put 13 inmates to death during the Trump presidency offered sanitized, incomplete versions of the executions to judges. Continue reading
Jan 12 Female inmate’s execution on hold; 2 more halted over COVID-19 By Michael Tarm, Heather Hollingsworth, Associated Press The U.S. government's plans to carry out its first execution of a female inmate in nearly seven decades are on hold, and two other executions this week have been canceled because the inmates tested positive for COVID-19. Continue reading
Dec 11 Trump administration plans 2nd execution in as many days By Michael Tarm, Associated Press The series of executions after Election Day, the first in late November, is the first time in over 130 years where federal executions have occurred during a lame-duck period. Continue reading
Dec 07 Trump quickens pace of federal executions before Biden inauguration By Associated Press Attorney General William Barr defended the extension of executions into the post-election period, saying he’ll likely schedule more before he departs the Justice Department. Continue reading
Aug 24 California justices toss death penalty for Scott Peterson By Don Thompson, Associated Press The California Supreme Court has overturned the 2005 death sentence for Scott Peterson in the slaying of his pregnant wife but upheld his 2004 murder conviction. Continue reading
Aug 20 AP Exclusive: Feds to seek death sentence for Boston bomber By Michael Balsamo, Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press Attorney General William Barr says the Justice Department will seek to reinstate the death sentence of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Continue reading
Aug 04 Prospect of a second Boston Marathon bomber trial brings anguish By Alanna Durkin Richer, Associated Press An an appeals court ruling ordering a new trial to decide whether Dzhokhar Tsarnaev should be put to death may once again force this community to relive the nightmare of April 15, 2013. Continue reading
Jul 15 Judge halts second federal execution amid claims inmate isn’t mentally fit By Associated Press Wesley Ira Purkey, convicted of a 1998 kidnapping and killing, was scheduled for execution Wednesday at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute, Indiana, where Daniel Lewis Lee was put to death Tuesday after his eleventh-hour legal bids failed. Continue reading