There have been 41 executions in 2006 as of September 5. This is a pace comparable to last year’s, when there were 60 executions. Eighty percent of the executions have been in the South, keeping with a pattern since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Almost half of all executions (20 of 41) have been in one state, Texas. Only about 20% of those executed had killed a black victim, even though about half of all murder victims in the U.S. are black. This underrepresentation of black-victim cases has also been a consistent pattern since the death penalty returned. No clemencies have been granted in 2006. Many executions have been put on hold due to challenges to the lethal injection process.