America is seeing an uptick in executions
Data: Death Penalty Information Center ; Chart: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals Florida executed its 14th prisoner for the year on Tuesday, adding to a post-COVID surge in capital punishment that drove more executions last year than any since 2009. The big picture: Even as fewer courts sentence defendants to death and more than half of the states have banned or at least temporarily halted the practice,…
After a 2023 spike in executions across the United States, the Death Penalty Information Center has reported that 2024 saw a continued increase in capital punishment. Florida led the way, carrying out 14 executions, including a pair of death sentences handed out within hours of one another. This surge in executions, driven by the Trump administration's encouragement, marked the highest annual number since 2009.
While only three people remain on federal death row, President Trump's executive order in 2021 aimed to boost federal capital punishment efforts. However, the Biden administration has placed a moratorium on federal executions and reduced the number of death row inmates. Public opinion on the death penalty has evolved, with decreasing support and increased concerns about wrongful convictions.
Florida is expected to execute again in September, highlighting the ongoing debate surrounding capital punishment in the United States.
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