Death Penalty Information Center

Breaking News: Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Grants Stay of Execution for Robert Roberson

Pulling back the curtain on the death penalty for more than 35 years.

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Created Sept 25

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Methods of Execution October 1, 2025 North Carolina Legislature Passes Sweeping Criminal Law Legislation in Effort to Restart Executions

Upcoming Executions October 9, 2025 Indiana’s Scheduled Third Execution After 15-year Pause Raises Cost and Secrecy Concerns

Executions October 8, 2025 Upcoming Executions Illustrate Persistent Themes and Concerns Around the Death Penalty

Official Misconduct October 7, 2025 New Evidence Revealed in “Dateline” Podcast Points to Judicial Misconduct in Robert Roberson’s Case Just Days Ahead of Execution

Youth October 6, 2025 Tennessee’s Execution of Christa Pike Would Make Her the First Woman to be Executed in the State in Over 200 Years

Religion October 2, 2025 Pope Leo XIV Calls Support for the Death Penalty 'Not Really Pro-Life'

Innocence September 30, 2025 DPI Podcast 12:01 The Death Penalty in Context: Katherine Judson of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences Speaks on Flawed Forensics and Robert Roberson

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Immature Minds in a “Maturing Society”: Roper v. Simmons at 20 Read Now

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Upcoming Executions Read Now

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Innocence Database Since 1973, at least 201 people wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in the U.S. have been exonerated.

Execution Database 1642 men and women have been executed in the United States since the 1970s

Death Penalty Census The Census currently lists more than 9930 sentences imposed between 1972 and January 1, 2025.

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Innocence

12:01 The Death Penalty in Context: Katherine Judson of the Center for Integrity in Forensic Sciences Speaks on Flawed Forensics and Robert Roberson

In the September 2025 episode of 12:01: The Death Penalty in Context, DPI’s managing director Anne Holsinger interviews Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)...

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Featured Research & Reports

Arbitrariness September 24, 2025 Mangione’s Counsel Challenge Constitutionality of Federal Death Penalty as Arbitrary

Religion September 22, 2025 Victims’ Families in Kirk and Berry Cases Cite Religious Reasons for Opposition to the Death Penalty

Secrecy September 8, 2025 DPI Analysis: Death Warrants Under a Spotlight

DPI Reports July 7, 2025 Mid-Year Review 2025: New Death Sentences Remain Low Amidst Increase in Executions

Intellectual Disability June 4, 2025 2025 Roundup of Death Penalty Related Legislation

In-Depth Reports April 30, 2025 Immature Minds in a "Maturing Society": Roper v. Simmons at 20

Year-End Reports December 19, 2024 The Death Penalty in 2024

Racial Justice Reports November 14, 2024 Fool's Gold: How the Federal Death Penalty Has Perpetuated Racially Discriminatory Practices Throughout History