death penalty

LISTEN: Supreme Court hears arguments on case over high school coach's on-field prayers

By Jessica Gresko, Associated Press

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday over the death penalty and a dispute between public school officials and a former high school football coach who wanted to kneel and pray on the field after games.

Firing squad execution in South Carolina temporarily halted by court

By Michelle Liu, Associated Press

The South Carolina Supreme Court has issued a temporary stay halting the state from carrying out its first-ever firing squad execution.

South Carolina man facing death penalty chooses firing squad over electric chair

By Michelle Liu, Associated Press

A South Carolina prisoner scheduled for execution later this month has chosen to die by firing squad rather than in the electric chair.

Lawsuit over South Carolina execution methods allowed to move forward

By Michelle Liu, Associated Press

A judge has ruled that a lawsuit brought by four death row inmates challenging South Carolina’s execution methods can move forward.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.