What country has the harshest death penalty?

China carries out the most executions by far, though the exact numbers are a state secret, making it the country with the highest total death penalty use; however, Iran has the highest per capita execution rate and is responsible for the majority of known executions, often for political reasons and drug offenses, while Saudi Arabia also ranks highly in known figures, highlighting a global issue with states using capital punishment to suppress dissent.

Who is the longest person on death row?

Raymond Riles. Raymond George Riles (born June 1, 1950) is an American convicted murderer who was on death row in Texas from 1976 until he was resentenced to life imprisonment in June 2021. At the time of his resentencing, Riles had been on death row longer than anyone else in the United States.

Which US state executes the most?

Which States Have Carried Out the Most Executions? Texas has been responsible for the most executions over recent years by far, with 593 since 1977 as of mid-February 2025. The states with the next-highest totals are Oklahoma (127), Virginia (113), Florida (107) and Missouri (101). Then-Democratic Gov.

Which state has no death penalty?

Since 2009, seven states — Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Virginia — have legislatively abolished the death penalty, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

What is the shortest time on death row?

The shortest time on death row in modern US history is often attributed to Joe Gonzales, executed in Texas in 1996 after about 10 months, because he waived all appeals; however, Gary Gilmore in 1977 had an even shorter time from sentencing to execution (around 3 months), though his sentence was before the modern appeals system fully developed. Generally, most death row stays are years long due to appeals, with Texas often having shorter timelines than other states. 

What Death Row Looks Like Around the World

Has anyone outlived a life sentence?

Yes, some individuals have outlived their life sentences, especially those serving life without parole (LWOP) or very long sentences, through legal reforms, commutations, parole, or compassionate release, with notable examples like Joseph Ligon serving 67 years before release, demonstrating that "life" in prison doesn't always mean dying in prison due to changing laws and compassionate release programs. 

Who was hanged three times?

John Henry George "Babbacombe" Lee (15 August 1864 – 19 March 1945) was an Englishman famous for surviving three attempts to hang him for murder.

What do death row inmates do all day?

Death row inmates spend most of their day (around 22-23 hours) in solitary confinement, in small cells, with limited human interaction, engaging in activities like reading, writing, watching TV/radio (if available), showering (infrequently), and minimal exercise in isolated yards, all while awaiting appeals and potential execution, with constant security checks and monitored visits. Their days are highly regimented and monotonous, focusing on appeals, legal work, and surviving isolation.
 

What is the average age on death row?

U.S. capital punishment - prisoners under sentence of death 2021, by age. In 2021, around 12.2 percent of prisoners on death row in the United States were between 40 and 44 years of age. Most prisoners on death row, at 17.6 percent, were between the ages of 50 and 54 years old.

How much does the death penalty cost?

The death penalty is significantly more expensive than life in prison, costing millions more per case due to extensive legal processes like enhanced trials, automatic appeals, and higher security, with studies showing extra costs of $184M/year in California and $3M/case in Maryland, far outweighing savings from no life-long incarceration, as seen in North Carolina and Florida, where costs are millions higher per execution compared to life sentences, making it a major drain on justice system funds. 

Does Mexico have a death penalty?

No, Mexico does not have the death penalty; it was fully abolished in 2005, though debates about reinstating it occur due to violent crime, Mexico is bound by human rights treaties that prevent its return, and it actively opposes capital punishment internationally, refusing to extradite fugitives to countries where they might face it. The last execution was in 1961, and the country is a leader in promoting abolition, viewing it as a human rights issue. 

What race has the highest death penalty?

Race of Defendants Executed in the U.S. Since 1976

• Other. 0.2%
• Asian. 0.4%
• Native American or Alaskan Native. 1.3%
• Latino/a. 8%
• Black. 34%
• White. 56%

Which country used the guillotine the most?

The guillotine is best known for its use in France, particularly during the French Revolution (1789-1799), where the revolution's supporters celebrated it as the people's avenger and the revolution's opponents vilified it as the pre-eminent symbol of the violence of the Reign of Terror.

What is the death sentence in India?

Capital punishment exists in India for the "rarest of rare" severe crimes, applied under laws like the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, with hanging as the primary execution method, though sentences are frequent, executions are rare, and disproportionately affect marginalized groups, leading to lengthy death row waits and ongoing debate over its use despite recent legislative changes and court scrutiny. 

Was the guillotine painless?

The guillotine was designed to be a swift and more humane execution method, providing a death in about half a second, but whether it was truly painless is debated, with theories suggesting brief consciousness and potential agony for several seconds after decapitation, although it avoided the prolonged suffering of other methods like hanging or botched lethal injections. 

Who was the last lady to be hanged?

Last woman to be hanged calls for 'truth' in final letter

Nightclub hostess Ruth Ellis, from Rhyl, Denbighshire, was executed on 13 July 1955 after being convicted of murdering her lover David Blakely.

Do any states still hang for execution?

Washington and New Hampshire are the only states that currently provide for official hanging as a means of execution. But there has been no hanging since 1996 in this country. "The U.S. has always been skittish and conscious of viewers," says Richard Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center.

What prisoner died and brought back a life sentence?

Yes, there's a notable case, Benjamin Schreiber, an Iowa inmate serving life for murder, who argued his sentence ended after he briefly died from septic poisoning in 2015 and was resuscitated five times, but courts rejected his claim, ruling his "life sentence" means for the remainder of his natural life, not a temporary cessation of life, as reported by Syracuse University Law Review and others.
 

Who escaped jail 17 times?

Haggard has famously stated that he escaped jail 17 times. When his early criminal career was seemingly over, Haggard's music career started. However, it was not lucrative. So, hard-up, broke, and looking for a buck, Haggard decided to rob an establishment in Bakersfield, California.

What was the shortest jail sentence ever?

The shortest recorded prison sentence is one minute, given to soldier Joe Munch in 1906 for being drunk and disorderly, after a judge reduced a 30-day sentence on appeal, making him sit in a cell for just 60 seconds before release. Other exceptionally short sentences include 50 minutes for property damage with time for writing apologies and a commutation of a murder sentence to one hour in the office of a governor for the Massie case in 1932. 

What was Oscar Smith's last meal?

In his final statement, Smith said, "Someone needs to tell the governor the justice system doesn't work" and repeated, "I didn't kill her" before losing consciousness. For his last meal, Smith ordered hot dogs, tater tots, and apple pie with vanilla ice cream.

How much does death row cost?

At the post-conviction level, California taxpayers pay at least $117 million each year seeking execution of the people currently on death row, or $175,000 per inmate per year.

What is the smallest crime you can go to jail for?

The smallest crimes that can lead to jail time are usually misdemeanors, not infractions (like speeding tickets, which only get fines), with penalties often starting around a few days to six months in local jail, depending on the state and specific offense, such as petty theft, public intoxication, or simple trespassing, though "small" crimes can escalate quickly with repeat offenses or aggravating factors.