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Mental Illness December 17, 2024 Indiana’s First Execution in 15 Years Raises Serious Constitutional Concerns If Joseph Corcoran had been sen­tenced to death just a few miles to the east, across the bor­der in Ohio instead of in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it’s like­ly that a court would have barred his exe­cu­tion. Ohio law pre­vents a per­son with a seri­ous men­tal ill­ness (SMI) at the time of their crime, defined as schiz­o­phre­nia, schizoaf­fec­tive dis­or­der, bipo­lar dis­or­der, or delu­sion­al dis­or­der, from being put to death. Mr. Corcoran, who…
Conditions on Death Row December 18, 2024 4th Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Legal Challenge to South Carolina's Restriction on Media Access to Prisoners
News December 16, 2024 Florida Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments Challenging Non-Unanimity Sentencing Standard
Upcoming Executions December 10, 2024 Federal Court Stays Clemency Hearing of Oklahoma Prisoner with December Execution Date
Clemency December 9, 2024 Religious Groups, Former Corrections Officials, Pro-life Voices, and Many Others Urge President Biden to Commute Federal Death Sentences
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DPI is a national non-profit providing news, data and facts about the death penalty.

With over 20 special reports on issues including innocence, race, arbitrariness, and costs, DPI’s work has informed and shaped the national discussion on this critical issue.

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Innocence Database Since 1973, at least 200 people wrongly convicted and sentenced to death in the U.S. have been exonerated.
Execution Database 1,606 men and women have been executed in the United States since the 1970s
Death Penalty Census Database The Census currently lists more than 9,914 sentences imposed between 1972 and Jul 1, 2024.

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Innocence

Discussions With DPI: Earwitness Podcast Creator Beth Shelburne on Toforest Johnson’s Case

In this month’s episode of Discussions with DPI, Managing Director Anne Holsinger speaks with Beth Shelburne, a journalist who has reported on...

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Earwitness Podcast Creator Beth Shelburne on Toforest Johnson’s Case

Featured Research & Reports

DPI Reports November 14, 2024 Fool's Gold: How the Federal Death Penalty Has Perpetuated Racially Discriminatory Practices Throughout History DPI Reports July 1, 2024 Lethal Election: How the U.S. Electoral Process Increases the Arbitrariness of the Death Penalty DPI Reports May 14, 2024 Broken Promises: How a History of Racial Violence and Bias Shaped Ohio's Death Penalty DPI Reports December 1, 2023 The Death Penalty in 2023: Year End Report Mental Illness October 24, 2024 New Analysis: Death-Sentenced Prisoners “Volunteer” for Execution at Ten Times Civilian Suicide Rate United States Supreme Court October 8, 2024 United States Supreme Court Will Consider Significance of Prosecutor’s Confession of Error in Glossip v. Oklahoma Execution Database September 27, 2024 United States Reaches 1600 Executions, Demonstrating Disconnect Between Elected Officials and Declining Public Support Innocence September 24, 2024 Missouri Supreme Court and Governor Reject Innocence Claims and Refuse to Pause Execution for Marcellus Williams

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