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As of April 1, 2008,
the Death Penalty was authorized by 37 states, the
Federal Government, and the U.S. Military. Those
jurisdictions without the Death Penalty include 13 states
and the District of Columbia. (Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa,
Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota,
Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin).
In 2008, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the use of the electric chair as a method of execution violated the Nebraska Constitution. With no alternative method of execution on the books, Nebraska is practically without a death penalty. In 2004, the New York Supreme Court ruled that the existing death penalty procedures violated the New York Constitution. The New York legislature has made no effort to change the procedures, effectively eliminating the death penalty in the state.
U. S. EXECUTIONS SINCE 1976: 1,099 (as of April 1, 2008)
ON DEATH ROW IN THE U. S.: 3,263 (as of Jan 1, 2008)
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Jurisdiction
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Executions
(As of 4/1/08)
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On Death Row
(As of 1/1/08)
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Texas
|
405
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370
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Virginia
|
98
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20
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Oklahoma
|
86
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82
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Missouri
|
66
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45
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Florida
|
64
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388
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North Carolina
|
43
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166
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Georgia
|
40
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107
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Alabama
|
38
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201
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South Carolina
|
37
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58
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Louisiana
|
27
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85
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Arkansas
|
27
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38
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Ohio
|
26
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186
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Arizona
|
23
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114
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Indiana
|
19
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14
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Delaware
|
14
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19
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California
|
13
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669
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Illinois
|
12
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13
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Nevada
|
12
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83
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Mississippi
|
08
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65
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Utah
|
06
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10
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Maryland
|
05
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05
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Tennessee
|
04
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96
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Washington
|
04
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08
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Federal Government
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03
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50
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Nebraska
|
03
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10
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Pennsylvania
|
03
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228
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Montana
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03
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02
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Oregon
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02
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35
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Kentucky
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02
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39
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New Mexico
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01
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01
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Idaho
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01
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19
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South Dakota
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01
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03
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Wyoming
|
01
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02
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Colorado
|
01
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01
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New York
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00
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00
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Connecticut
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01
|
09
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New Hampshire
|
00
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00
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New Jersey
|
00
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00
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Kansas
|
00
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10
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U.S. Military
|
00
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06
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Total
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1,099
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3,263
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U.S. EXECUTIONS BY YEAR
| 1977 - 01 |
1985 - 18 |
1993 - 38 |
2001 - 66 |
| 1978 - 00 |
1986 - 18 |
1994 - 31 |
2002 - 71 |
| 1979 - 02 |
1987 - 25 |
1995 - 56 |
2003 - 65 |
| 1980 - 00 |
1988 - 11 |
1996 - 45 |
2004 - 59 |
| 1981 - 01 |
1989 - 16 |
1997 - 74 |
2005 - 60 |
| 1982 - 02 |
1990 - 23 |
1998 - 68 |
2006 - 53 |
| 1983 - 05 |
1991 - 14 |
1999 - 98 |
2007 - 42 |
| 1984 - 21 |
1992 - 31 |
2000 - 85 |
4/1/08 - 00 |
U.S. EXECUTIONS BY RACE AND GENDER
| White |
630 (57%) |
Male |
1,088 (99%) |
| Black |
377 (34%) |
Female |
011 (01%) |
| Hispanic |
076 (07%) |
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| Native Am |
014 (01%) |
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| Asian |
008 (01%) |
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WOMEN EXECUTED SINCE 1976
Velma Barfield (North Carolina) 11-02-84
Karla Faye Tucker (Texas) 02-03-98
Judy Buenoano (Florida) 03-30-98
Betty Lou Beets (Texas) 02-24-2000
Christina Riggs (Arkansas) 05-02-2000
Wanda Jean Allen (Oklahoma) 01-11-2001
Marilyn Plantz (Oklahoma) 05-01-2001
Lois Nadean Smith (Oklahoma) 12-04-2001
Lynda Lyon Block (Alabama) 05-10-2002
Aileen Wuornos (Florida) 10-09-2002
Frances Elaine Newton (Texas) 09-14-2005
U.S. EXECUTIONS SINCE 1930
| 1930-1939 |
1,690 |
1970-1979 |
003 |
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| 1940-1949 |
1,284 |
1980-1989 |
117 |
| 1950-1959 |
717 |
1990-1999 |
518 |
| 1960-1969 |
191 |
2000-4/1/08 |
501 |
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Total |
4,958 |
As of January 1, 2008, 3,350 convicted murderers
were awaiting execution on Death Row in the U.S., including 44/09 on Federal / Military Death Row.
CURRENT DEATH ROW BY RACE
White | 1,517 (45%)
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Black | 1,397 (42%) |
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Hispanic | 359 (11%)
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Asian | 039 (01%)
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Native Am | 037 (01%)
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Unknown | 001 (0.3%)
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CURRENT DEATH ROW BY GENDER
Male | 3,291 (98.2%)
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Female | 59 (01.8%) |
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Of the 3,320 convicted murderers on Death Row
as of January 1, 2005:
 65.0% had a prior felony conviction at the time of the murder.
08.4% had a prior homicide conviction at the time of the murder.
07.8% had criminal charges pending at the time of the murder.
26.7% were on probation or parole at the time of the murder.
4.9% were incarcerated or had escaped from incarceration.
14% had accumulated more than one death sentence.
22% were married, 21% divorced, and 03% widowed.
54% were never married.
46% were high school/GED graduates.
39% were under the age of 25 at arrest; 1.9% are under 25 now.
0.2% were 60+ years at arrest; 4.2% are 60+ years now.
The average age was 42 years. (27 at sentencing)
The youngest inmate is Devin Thompson (DOB: 05-15-85), sentenced to death in Alabama in October 2005 at the age of 19 years, and as of 01-01-06 was 20 years, 07 months old.
The oldest inmate is Viva Leroy Nash (DOB: 09-10-15), sentenced to death in Arizona in June 1983 at the age of 67 years, 09 months, and as of 01-01-06 was 90 years, 3 months old.
Sources:
Capital Punishment 2005
Department of Justice
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Death Row U.S.A., Winter 2007
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund
97 Hudson Street, 16th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10013
(212) 219-1900
Death Row, U.S.A.
Death Penalty Information Center
1320 18th Street NW, 5th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 293-6970
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