Mar 18 Firing-squad executions get the greenlight in South Carolina By Meg Kinnard, Associated Press The method was codified into state law last year after a decade-long pause in carrying out the death sentence over the state's inability to procure lethal injection drugs. Continue reading
Nov 18 Oklahoma governor commutes Julius Jones' death sentence By Sean Murphy, Associated Press Jones has proclaimed his innocence from death row for more than two decades in the 1999 killing of a suburban Oklahoma City businessman. Continue reading
Nov 09 U.S. Supreme Court considers Texas case about religious rights during executions By Jessica Gresko, Associated Press Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Tuesday about a Texas death row inmate's demand that a chaplain be allowed to pray out loud and touch him during his execution. Continue reading
Oct 13 Watch 5:19 2 reasons why Boston Marathon bomber case is being heard in the Supreme Court By John Yang, Alex D'Elia With all nine justices back in the courtroom Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case of the Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence, eight years after the attack. John Yang reports. Continue watching
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