Capital punishment in the United States

Capital punishment in the United States is officially sanctioned by 38 of the 50 states, as well as by the federal government. The overwhelming majority of executions are performed by the states; the federal government maintains the right to use capital punishment (also known as the death penalty) but does so infrequently. Each state practicing capital punishment has different laws regarding its methods, age limits, and crimes which qualify. The United States is second only to the People's Republic of China in the number of death sentences passed.

Methods

Various methods have been used in the history of the American colonies and the United States but only five methods are currently used. Historically, burning, pressing, gibbeting or hanging in chains, breaking on wheel and bludgeoning were used for a small number of executions while hanging was the most common method. The last person burned to death was a black slave in South Carolina in August 1825. The last person to be hung in chains was a murderer named John Marshall in West Virginia on April 4, 1913.

Related Topics:
Burning - Pressing - Gibbeting - Breaking on wheel - South Carolina - John Marshall - West Virginia - April 4 - 1913

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Currently lethal injection is the method used or allowed in 37 of the 38 states which allow the death penalty and by the federal government. Nebraska requires electrocution. Other states also allow electrocution, gas chambers, hanging and the firing squad. From 1976 to 2004, out of 944 executions: 776 have been by lethal injection, 153 by electrocution, 11 by gas chamber, 3 by hanging, and 2 by firing squad.

Related Topics:
Lethal injection - Nebraska - Electrocution - Gas chamber - Hanging - Firing squad

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The use of lethal injection has become standard. From 2001, only 3 out of 273 executions have been by a different method. The last execution by any other method was the use of the electric chair on May 28, 2004 when James Neil Tucker was executed in South Carolina. The last use of the gas chamber occurred on 24 February 1999 when Karl LaGrand was executed in Arizona, the last use of hanging was on 25 January 1996 when Delaware hanged Billy Bailey and the firing squad was also last used in 1996 when John Albert Taylor was shot in Utah on 26 January.

Related Topics:
May 28 - 2004 - James Neil Tucker - South Carolina - 24 February - 1999 - Karl LaGrand - Arizona - 25 January - 1996 - Delaware - Billy Bailey - John Albert Taylor - Utah - 26 January

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The electric chairs was the major method of execution during most of the 20th century. They developed a special nickname: Old Sparky. Some, particularly that of Florida, were noted for malfunctions, which caused discussion of their cruelty and resulted in a shift to lethal injection as the major method of execution. Regardless of the method, an hour or two before the execution, the condemned person has a last meal and religious services.

Related Topics:
Old Sparky - Florida - Last meal

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Executions are carried out in private with only invited persons able to view the proceedings. The last public execution was the hanging of Rainey Bethea on 14 August 1936 in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Related Topics:
Rainey Bethea - 14 August - 1936 - Owensboro, Kentucky

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