Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment is a profoundly complex and controversial aspect of the criminal justice system. This section provides articles that explore the history, legal frameworks, and ethical debates surrounding Capital Punishment in various jurisdictions. Correctional professionals can gain insights into the procedures, implications, and ongoing discussions about using the death penalty. Understanding Capital Punishment is crucial for those involved in its administration and those engaged in broader criminal justice reform efforts. For further context, explore related topics on supermax prisons.
Ralph Leroy Menzies, convicted of a 1986 murder, was days away from execution when the court intervened
Curtis Windom’s death marks Florida’s 11th execution in 2025 — a new state record since capital punishment resumed in 1976
In one case, a judge blocked the DOJ’s attempt to seek the death penalty for a 2022 police officer killing, citing due process violations
The development comes after Gov. Bill Lee’s decision last month to abruptly halt the execution of inmate Oscar Smith
The pause will remain in effect through the end of the year to allow time for the review and corrective action
Carl Wayne Buntion, 78, was executed Thursday evening for the June 1990 fatal shooting of Houston police officer James Irby
The issue dealt with “mishandling” of the drugs intended for Oscar Smith’s lethal injection, his attorney’s office said
Richard Moore’s execution had been scheduled for April 29
Carl Wayne Buntion had been on parole just six weeks when he shot Officer James Irby during a traffic stop
Only three executions in the United States have been carried out by firing squad since 1976
Attorneys for the inmates are seeking to get the state’s new firing squad and century-old electric chair declared unconstitutional
Clarence Dixon has 20 days to decide whether to be injected with a lethal drug or be executed by the gas chamber
The state has not executed an inmate since 2010
“By not changing the protocol as to what the pastor can and can’t do, they’re just inviting some future federal judge to stay an execution,” an attorney said
Officials may not reveal where they obtain lethal injection drugs, even under a court order
Justices rejected Texas’ defense of its policy of allowing an inmate’s spiritual adviser to be present but without speaking or touching the inmate
The move is the latest legal entanglement as the state tries to restart executions after a more than 10-year hiatus
The state Corrections Department said Friday that renovations have been completed on the death chamber in Columbia
The woman’s son coordinated with another person to email her a spreadsheet containing the personal information of 9,043 people
Department of Corrections Director Scott Crow testified he was confident the proper drugs were used during executions
Attorneys for more than two dozen death row inmates argue that the state’s method creates a risk of unconstitutional pain and suffering
The company was hired to develop guidelines to protect ADOC employees
Gov. Mike DeWine cited the state’s ongoing problems finding lethal injection drugs in a release Friday
A House committee on Monday unanimously approved introducing the bill as the state struggles to find willing providers
The goal is to turn that section at San Quentin State Prison into a “positive, healing environment,” Gov. Newsom said
“While it may be gruesome to look at, we all agree it will be quicker,” said an attorney for one of the inmates
2021 was the 7th consecutive year when there were fewer than 30 executions and 50 new death sentences
The same jury convicted the man of murder last month in the fatal 2017 shooting of Lt. Debra Clayton
Little else has been announced about how the method would be implemented
What was once one of the nation’s busiest death chambers has not resumed administering capital punishment as easily as some had hoped
Jones will spend the rest of his life behind bars without the possibility of parole
Julius Jones, who has long maintained his innocence, is scheduled to be executed Thursday
A majority of justices expressed concern that granting John Henry Ramirez’s request could lead to a string of cases asking for other accommodations
