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First execution
The first execution took place in Jamestown, Virginia on Captain George Kendall. His punishment was for spying on the colonists for the King of Spain. He became a member of the Jamestown council on May 13, 1607. -
First woman executed
Jane Campion was the first woman executed in the New Colonies. She was convicted of murder and concealing death for slaying her illegitimate child. William Gallopin, the father of the baby, aided in the murder and was not sentenced to death. -
Cesare Beccaria essay
Cesare Beccaria wrote and publicized an essay on Crimes and Punishment. It theorized that there is no justification for the state to take a life. This began the abolitionist movement in the last 1700s. -
Pennsylvania moves executions into correctional facilities
This was the first state to move executions into prisons. This allowed the executions to be done without the chaos of the public. Pennsylvania carried out the third most executions of any state in the country at this time. -
Michigan abolishes death penalty
Michigan abolished the death penalty for all crimes except treason. However, no one was ever executed under treason. The penalty was abolished for all crimes by a 108 to 3 vote in 1962. -
First execution by electrocution
William Kemmler was an alcoholic who was the first to be executed by electric chair. He was convicted of murdering his wife Matilda Ziegler. The electric chair was invented just earlier that year. -
Cyanide Gas Used to Execute
Gee Jon was from China and was the first person to have cyanide gas used on. He was convicted for the murder of an elderly member from another gang in Nevada. Cyanide gas was discovered in 1782 by a Swedish chemist and was first used in World War 1. -
Oklahoma adopts lethal injection
It was considered cheaper and more human than electrocution or lethal gas. Charles Brooks was the first person to be executed with this method in 1982. He was convicted of murder by the state of Texas. -
Kennedy v. Louisiana
It was decided that the Eight Amendment prohibits the imposition of the death penalty for the crime of raping a child. Patrick Kennedy was found guilty of raping his eight-year-old stepdaughter. Louisiana law allowed the penalty to be applied to cases concerning children under twelve-years old. -
Nebraska Executions Froze
The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled the electric chair to be cruel and unusual punishment. Electrocution was the sole execution method in the state at the time, so all executions were effectively frozen. The Eight Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment to be used by the government.