The death penalty is a divisive topic that has some believing it to be cruel and unusual, while others believe it is a fate more than deserving for criminals who have caused harm to individuals and the nation. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, as of October 2023, the number of people on death row or facing capital retrials or resentencing is 2,262, which is down slightly from the previous year. Of these, 171 prisoners had their sentences reversed while they awaited retrial, leaving 2,091 still facing their death sentences.
Capital punishment is federally legal and is also legal in 27 states. Although lethal injection is the most common method of execution today, other methods like the gas chamber, electrocution, hanging, firing squad, and nitrogen hypoxia are still acceptable forms in many states. Throughout history, the more widely used procedure has evolved. What was once the predominant approach until the late 1800s – hanging – was replaced by the electric chair when it was introduced as a more humane option.
To determine the most infamous executions in U.S. history, 24/7 Tempo referred to numerous news and historical sources, as well as the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit that provides data and analysis on capital punishment. We focused on executions that were either widely publicized or highly contested, with many of those put to death being notorious criminals, though some like Bruno Hauptmann, convicted of murdering the Lindbergh baby, and Sacco and Vanzetti, accused anarchists, have debated guilt even decades after their deaths. This is the most infamous criminal from every state.
Here are the most high-profile executions in American history:
