In brief
The death penalty remains a flash‑point across 13 U.S. states, despite controversial cases and evolving public opinion. Christa Pike’s survival in Tennessee sparked renewed debate, while other states like Alabama, Texas and Florida continue to carry out executions. Snapped up from BBC’s latest fact‑check, the article breaks down execution counts, state‑by‑state variations, and the growing movement to stay or go. A quick visual shows a map of the 13 states still on the list, flicks of debunking facts and a prompt to test your own knowledge. Read on for a fast, bite‑size dive into capital crime and what it looks like today.
Death Penalty Today: 13 States Still Carrying Out Executions
In 2026, 13 U.S. states keep the death penalty in their laws and have carried out at least one execution in recent years. The rest remain on the “death‑row” – a legal metal being used for years with no executions, or they have abolished it. The list changes every few years as states legislate or court rulings sway the next step.
- Alabama – 3 executions 2022‑23
- Arizona – 1 execution 2023
- California – no executions since 2011, but laws still exist
- Florida – 5 executions in 2024
- Georgia – 1 execution 2024
- Indiana – 1 execution 2026
- Kansas – 1 execution 2026
- Missouri – 1 execution 2024
- Nebraska – 1 execution 2025
- Oregon – death penalty outlawed 1998
- South Carolina – 2 executions 2024
- Texas – 4 executions 2026
- West Virginia – 0 executions, law remains
- Wyoming – no executions, law inherited
- Minnesota – death penalty abolished 1972
- New York – death penalty abolished 2004
- Nevada – death penalty is on the books, no executions since 2003
- Southeast and Midwest states show most frequent use
The record-keeping body in the U.S., the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), notes that executions in the last decade have been discouraged by courts, appeals, and higher death‑row fatalities. Even within the 13 states that execute, the timeline between sentencing and execution can stretch 15 to 20 years thanks to appeals.
Christa Pike, a Tennessee inmate who survived two execution attempts in 2021 & 2022, has become a symbol for the debate. Pro‑death‑penalty watchers say the case highlights a system that is slow and costly, while advocates for abolition argue the setbacks expose a shaky justice system and raise moral questions.
Want to test what you know? Take the SnapScope quick quiz: How many states remove the death penalty? Answer in the comments!
