---
title: 'Death Sentences Decline in 2004'
description: 'DEATH SENTENCES AT LOWEST LEVEL SINCE REINSTATEMENT OF DEATH PENALTY Death Sentences by State: 2004 2003 1994 U.S. Total 125 144 304 Alabama 8 6 24…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-sentences-decline-in-2004'
section: news
date: '2005-04-26T21:39:15-04:00'
updated: '2025-03-14T14:54:06-04:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

!  **DEATH SENTENCES AT LOWEST LEVEL SINCE REINSTATEMENT OF DEATH PENALTY**

Death Sentences by State:

 |  | 2004 | 2003 | 1994 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Total | 125 | 144 | 304 |
| Alabama | 8 | 6 | 24 |
| Arizona | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| Arkansas | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| California | 11 | 19 | 22 |
| Colorado | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Delaware | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Florida | 8 | 11 | 39 |
| Georgia | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| Idaho | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Illinois | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| Indiana | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Kansas | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Louisiana | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Maryland | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Mississippi | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Missouri | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Montana | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nebraska | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Nevada | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| N. Hampshire | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| New York | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| N. Carolina | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| Ohio | 5 | 7 | 13 |
| Oklahoma | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Oregon | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | 6 | 21 |
| S. Carolina | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| S. Dakota | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Texas | 23 | 29 | 43 |
| Utah | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| Washington | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Federal | 7 | 2 | 0 |

Sources: 2004 - NAACP Legal Defense Fund.  
 2003-1977 - Bureau of Justice Statistics (note: BJS revised the total for 1994 to 314 sentences).  
 See also DPIC's [Sentencing Page](/death-penalty-sentencing-information?did=895&scid=67) and DPIC's [Press Release](/article.php?&did=1427) on latest numbers.