Court: Arizona governor not required to carry out execution
March 23, 2023 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that state law doesn’t require Gov. Katie Hobbs to carry out the April 6 execution of a prisoner who was convicted of murder.
The decision issued Wednesday marks a legal victory for the newly elected Democratic governor whose office said the state isn’t currently prepared to carry out the death penalty.
US no longer seeking death for man convicted in Sjodin case
March 14, 2023 GMTU.S. prosecutors said Tuesday that they will no longer seek the death penalty for a Minnesota man already on death row but awaiting resentencing for the kidnapping and killing of college student Dru Sjodin in 2003 — a case that led to changes in sex offender registration laws.
What’s the status of the US death penalty?
March 14, 2023 GMTThe first federal capital case tried under President Joe Biden ended with a split among jurors that means the life of an Islamic extremist who killed eight people in a New York City will be spared. It came at a rare federal death penalty trial in a state without the death penalty.
Divided jury means no death penalty for NYC bike path killer
March 13, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — A split among jurors means there will be no death penalty for an Islamic extremist convicted of maniacally racing a truck along a popular New York City bike path, killing eight people and maiming others.
NYC bike path killer convicted, could face the death penalty
March 10, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — An Islamic extremist who killed eight people with a speeding truck in a 2017 rampage on a popular New York City bike path was convicted Thursday of federal crimes and could face the death penalty.
Death penalty phase begins in trial of NYC bike path killer
March 10, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Jurors began hearing testimony Monday to help them decide whether an Islamic extremist who killed eight people on a New York City bike path should get a death sentence, an extraordinarily rare penalty in a state that hasn't had an execution in 60 years.
No verdict this week on death penalty in NY bike-path attack
March 9, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Jurors deliberated Thursday without reaching a decision in the death penalty phase of a man convicted of killing eight people on a Manhattan bike path in 2017.
Jury mulls death penalty or life for man in bike path attack
March 9, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — A New York jury began deliberating Wednesday whether to impose the death penalty or grant life in prison to a man convicted of killing eight individuals on a Manhattan bike path five years ago in a terrorist attack.
South Carolina Senate OKs ‘shield law’ for lethal injections
February 23, 2023 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The South Carolina Senate passed on Wednesday a law shielding the identity of pharmaceutical companies providing lethal injection drugs for state executions.
S. Carolina bill shielding death penalty drugmakers advances
February 2, 2023 GMTCOLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republicans' quest to resume executions in South Carolina overcame another hurdle Thursday.
The state Senate Corrections and Penology Committee approved a bill that would shield the identities of the companies that dispense the drug cocktail used to execute people on death row.
Florida could end unanimous jury requirement for executions
February 2, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers proposed legislation making it easier to send convicts to death row by eliminating a unanimous jury requirement in capital punishment sentencing — a response to anger from victims’ families following a verdict sparing a school shooter from execution.
Oklahoma appeals court agrees to slow pace of executions
January 25, 2023 GMTOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma’s Court of Criminal Appeals on Tuesday agreed to slow the pace of the state's upcoming executions at the request of the new attorney general, spacing them at least 60 days apart.
Florida execution set for man in woman’s 1990 slaying
January 23, 2023 GMTTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant Monday for a man who was convicted of fatally stabbing a woman after escaping from custody while serving a life sentence for killing a deputy.
Ohio death row inmate resentenced, could get parole
January 22, 2023 GMTTOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio prison inmate who has spent nearly four decades on death row in the murder of a convenience store clerk has been resentenced to a term that could allow his release on parole.
New Oklahoma AG seeks to slow pace of lethal injections
January 18, 2023 GMTOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma's current schedule of executing a death row inmate roughly every 30 days is placing too much of a burden on prison staff and should be slowed down, the state's new attorney general wrote in a motion filed Wednesday with the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
EXPLAINER: Biden inaction, mixed signals on death penalty
January 18, 2023 GMTIn Boston, the Justice Department is pressing judges to uphold Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's death sentence.
US won’t seek death penalty for alleged Texas Walmart gunman
January 18, 2023 GMTFederal prosecutors will not seek the death penalty for a man accused of fatally shooting nearly two dozen people in a racist attack at a West Texas Walmart in 2019.
The U.S. Department of Justice disclosed the decision not to pursue capital punishment against Patrick Crusius in a one-sentence notice filed Tuesday with the federal court in El Paso.
Poland’s conservative premier in favor of death penalty
January 3, 2023 GMTWARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has surprisingly spoken in favor of the death penalty and admitted he doesn't share the view of the Roman Catholic Church on the matter.
Report shines new light on execution secrecy in Tennessee
December 29, 2022 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When multiple pharmaceutical companies objected to Tennessee using their drugs to kill death row inmates several years back, the scramble to find lethal injection chemicals needed to carry out state-sanctioned executions grew frantic.
Outgoing governor: Nevada has to solve death penalty issue
December 21, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Outgoing Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said Tuesday he hoped his failed proposal to clear the state's death row starts a “necessary conversation” about capital punishment when state lawmakers begin their legislative session in February.
Judge: Nevada can’t yet consider death sentence commutations
December 20, 2022 GMTLAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada’s pardons board will not be able to consider a last-minute request from outgoing Gov. Steve Sisolak to commute the sentences of all 57 of the state’s death row prisoners, a judge ordered Monday evening.
Report: Executions continued decline but many ‘botched’
December 16, 2022 GMTHOUSTON (AP) — Public support and use of the death penalty in 2022 continued its more than two-decade decline in the U.S., and many of the executions that were carried out during the year were “botched” or highly problematic, an annual report on capital punishment says.
Mixed reactions to Oregon governor commuting death row
December 15, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown's decision to commute all of the state's 17 death sentences and dismantle the state's execution chamber has some, including a former prison superintendent-turned-abolitionist, lauding the move as the humane choice.