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First Recorded Execution in the American Colonies
In the year of 1608, George Kendall was executed for crimes of treason against the crown. It may not have been the very first execution, but it was the first to be recorded. Kendall was probably executed by hanging. -
Constitutional Convention
When writing the Constitution, the Founders left room for the death penalty. Even in the Bill of Rights, it never says that capital punishment is illegal. The 8th amendment contains it, but it also allows for it in a basic sense. -
First US Congress Establishes Death Penalty
The First Congress signed a bill that allowed for capital punishment. In the Punishment of Crimes Act, it expressly states that the death penalty can be used for crimes such as murder. -
First Man to be Executed Under US Law
US Marshall Henry Dearborn constructed a gallows and a coffin, and executed Thomas Bird. Bird was convicted of murder, and was sentenced to death under the Punishment of Crimes Act. He was the first man to be executed under that law. -
The American Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment is Formed
The first anti-capital punishment interest group is formed, called the American Society for the Abolition of Capital Punishment. They are revolutionary- no other group like them had ever been formed. They pushed hard to abolish capital punishment for all crimes, throughout the US. -
Michigan Abolishes Capital Punishment for All Crimes Except Treason
A Michigan bill was signed into law in 1846 that abolished the death penalty, except for treason. Crimes such as murder, rape, or robbery did not deserve death- only treason. -
Rhode Island is the First State to Completely Abolish the Death Penalty
Following the footsteps of Michigan, and taking it one step further, Rhode Island abolished the death penalty for all crimes- including treason. This meant that murder, rape, robbery, and even treason did not get the death penalty. -
14th Amendment is Ratified
The 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution is ratified. Later, people would use the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses to challenge the constitutionality of capital punishment. -
First Execution by Electrocution
William Kemmler, a convicted murderer, was the first man to be killed by electrocution. Thomas Edison himself, a supporter of death by electrocution, oversaw the procedure. However, unlike his claims, the execution took over two minutes and only killed Kemmler by burning him to death. -
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Second Great Reform Era
Over the course of 22 years, 9 states, including Minnesota, abolish capital punishment. Pressure from the public and interest groups pushed Maine, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oregon, Arizona, Missouri, and Tennessee to abolish capital punishment for all crimes. -
Weems v. United States
This court case created a precedent that did not specifically relate to capital punishment, but influenced the debate. The case ruled that courts have the power to decide if something is cruel and unusual punishment. They created a 3 options for a court to overturn a sentence- the changing standards of society must not create too much physical or psychological pain. -
First Execution by Gas Chamber
Gee Jon, a convicted murderer, was the first man to be executed in a gas chamber. The state of Nevada created his sentence, and wanted to see if the gas chamber was a more humane method of execution. -
Last Public Execution in the US
Rainey Bethea, a rapist and murderer, became the last person to be publicly executed in the United States. Conducted in Owensboro, Kentucky, over 20,000 people witnessed the execution- which was the last of its kind. -
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Many States Abolish Death Penalty
Between 1957 and 1972, 8 new states abolished the death penalty. Hawaii, Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, New York, West Virginia, Vermont, and New Mexico all created new laws that banned capital punishment in their states. However, Delaware's law was overturned and capital punishment was reinstated 4 years later. In addition, Michigan banned capital punishment for treason, completing its full abolition of the death penalty. -
Witherspoon v. Illinois
In this court case, the Supreme Court set a precedent that prospective jurors could not be dismissed from a case just because they have reservations about sentencing someone to death. They decided that that would create biased and unfair juries. -
Furman v. Georgia
This landmark case stopped the death penalty for 5 years after its decision. It ruled that the current application of the death penalty was unconstitutional because it was racist and arbitrary. The 35 states who hadn't abolished capital punishment responded by reforming their laws to meet the new standards. -
Gregg v. Georgia
This court case ruled that the new state laws that reformed capital punishment were constitutional. It was a follow-up case to Furman v. Georgia, and settled the debate over whether capital punishment was constitutional for that time. -
First Man Executed Since Furman v. Georgia
Gary Gilmore became the first man to be executed after the ruling in Furman v. Georgia. The Supreme Court created new death penalty standards in Furman, affirmed the states' response in Gregg, and then the states proceeded with their constitutional executions- starting with Gary Gilmore. -
Coker v. Georgia
This case set a new precedent that the death penalty was cruel and unusual punishment for rape. This overturned part of the ruling in Gregg v. Georgia, and limited the death penalty to crimes like murder. -
Texas Performs First Lethal Injection
Murderer Charles Brooks became the first man to be executed with a lethal injection. The state of Texas used 3 drugs in quick order to perform the death penalty. -
Ford v. Wainwright
in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that the execution of insane people is unconstitutional. They set the precedent that the execution of an insane inmate is a violation of the 8th amendment. -
Herrera v. Collins
A 6-3 Supreme Court vote ruled that a death row inmate is not necessarily entitled to be freed if new evidence is found. A constitutional violation must also be included in the claim. -
1994 Crime Bill is Signed
President Clinton signed the 1994 Crime Bill into law on this day. This expanded federal capital crimes to include drug trafficking, terrorism, and other crimes resulting in death. -
Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act is Signed
The AEDPA is signed into law, heavily restricting the ability of federal judges to overturn capital cases. Now, many mistakes made by state courts can be overlooked or go without action. -
Roper v. Simmons
This Supreme Court Case set the precedent that it is unconstitutional for anyone under the age of 18 to be executed. Any capital offenders under 18 are not allowed to receive the death sentence. -
United Nations General Assembly Calls for End to Death Penalty
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution that called for a moratorium on the death penalty. It wanted countries in the UN to stop executing their prisoners, much to the chagrin of those countries. -
Kennedy v. Louisiana
The US Supreme Court, in a 5-4 vote, stated that capital punishment for the crime of child rape is cruel and unusual. The death penalty was abolished for child rape crimes from this point on. -
Ohio Performs First One-Drug Lethal Injection
Ohio executed Kenneth Biros using a lethal injection. This was the first time that only 1 drug had been used, though. In the past, multiple drugs had been used for lethal injections. -
Connecticut and Maryland Abolish Death Penalty
In 2013, Maryland became the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. One year previously, Connecticut had repealed its own law that provided for capital punishment. -
Nebraska Voters Reinstate Death Penalty after Law is Passed
In 2015, the Nebraska legislature signed a law that abolished the death penalty in that state. But the public disagreed. The issue was placed on an election ballot, and voters reinstated the death penalty in Nebraska.
