---
title: 'Summary of State Death Penalty Statutes'
description: 'The Bureau of Justice Statistics Capital Punishment 2023 (pub. July 2025) lists the following as capital crimes, by state: Alabama - Intentional murder…'
canonical: 'https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/background/crimes-punishable-by-death/summary-of-state-death-penalty-statutes'
section: topics
date: '2019-02-05T10:39:55-05:00'
updated: '2026-02-13T16:30:13-05:00'
source: 'Death Penalty Information Center'
---

**The Bureau of Justice Statistics** [**Capital Punishment 2023**](https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/capital-punishment-2023-statistical-tables) **(pub. July 2025) lists the following as capital crimes, by state:**

**Alabama** - Intentional murder (Ala. Stat. Ann. § 13A-5-40(a)(1)-(21)) with 14 aggravating factors (Ala. Stat. Ann. § 13A-5-49).

**Arizona** - First-degree murder, including pre-meditated murder and felony murder, accompanied by at least 1 of 10 aggravating factors (A.R.S. § 13-703(F)).

**Arkansas** - Capital murder (Ark. Code Ann. § 5-10-101) with a finding of at least 1 of 10 aggravating circumstances; and treason (Ark. Code Ann. § 5-51-201).

**California** - First-degree murder with special circumstances; military sabotage; trainwreck causing death; treason; perjury resulting in execution of an innocent person; and fatal assault by a prisoner serving a life sentence.

\[California's death penalty provisions are set forth in Cal. Penal Code §§ 187-199. Section 187 defines first-degree murder. Section 190.2 sets forth the "special circumstances" that make a first-degree murder death-eligible.\]

**Colorado** - \[Abolished the death penalty in 2021\]

**Connecticut** - \[Abolished the death penalty in 2012\]

**Delaware\*** - First-degree murder (11 Del. C. § 636) with at least 1 statutory aggravating circumstance (11 Del. C. § 4209). \[In August 2016, the Delaware Supreme Court [found](https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/stories/dpic-analysis-what-is-the-impact-of-the-delaware-supreme-courts-declaration-that-its-death-penalty-is-unconstitutional) the existing statute unconstitutional. As of May 1, 2018, there is no constitutionally valid death-penalty statute.\]

**Florida** - First-degree murder, defined as premeditated murder, felony murder, and death resulting from capital drug-trafficking felonies (Fla Stat. § 782.04(1)(a)) accompanied by aggravating factors (Fla Stat. § 921.141(6)); and capital sexual battery (Fla Stat. § 794.011(2)(a)).

**Georgia** - Murder with aggravating circumstances; rape, armed robbery, or kidnapping with bodily injury or ransom when the victim dies; aircraft hijacking; treason. (GA Code § 17-10-30)

**Idaho** - First-degree murder with aggravating factors; first-degree kidnapping; perjury resulting in the execution of an innocent person. \[Idaho Stat. § 19-2515\]

**Indiana** - Murder with 1 or more of 18 aggravating circumstances (I.C. 35-50-2-9).

**Kansas** - Intentional and premeditated killing of a person in 1 or more of 7 different circumstances (KSA § 21-5401).

**Kentucky** - Intentional murder (KRS 532.020(1)), capital kidnapping resulting in death (KRS 509.040(2)), and use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death (KRS 527.200(3)) with the presence of at least 1 statutory aggravating factor (KRS 532.025).

**Louisiana** - First-degree murder with aggravating circumstances (La. R.S. 14:30); and treason (La. R.S. 14:113).

**Mississippi** - Capital murder with aggravating circumstances (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-3-19(2)); and aircraft piracy (Miss. Code Ann. § 97-25-55(1)).

**Missouri** - First-degree murder with at least 1 statutory aggravating circumstance (565.032.1 RSMO).

**Montana** - Deliberate homicide (Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-102), including felony murder, with aggravating circumstances (Mont. Code Ann. § 46-18-303); aggravated kidnapping resulting in death of victim or rescuer (Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-303); attempted deliberate homicide, aggravated assault, or kidnapping while in detention; and capital sexual intercourse without consent (Mont. Code Ann. § 45-5-503).

**Nebraska** - First-degree murder with a finding of 1 or more statutory aggravating circumstance. \[Nebraska Rev. § Stat 29-2523\]

**Nevada** - First-degree murder with at least 1 of 15 aggravating circumstances (NRS 200.030, 200.033, 200.035).

**New Hampshire** \[Abolished the death penalty in 2019. This legislation did not apply retrospectively, leaving one individual on the state's death row.\]

**New Mexico** -\[Abolished the death penalty in 2009\]

**New York\*\* -** First-degree murder of 1 of 13 aggravating factors ([NY Penal Law § 125.27](https://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0125.27_125.27.html).)

**North Carolina** - First-degree murder ([NCGS §14-17](https://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_14/gs_14-17.html)) with the finding of at least 1 of 11 statutory aggravating circumstances ([NCGS §15A-2000](http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/statutes/statutelookup.pl?statute=15A-2000)).

**Ohio** - Aggravated murder with at least 1 of 10 aggravating circumstances (O.R.C. §§ [2903.01](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2903.01), [2929.02](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2929.02), [2929.04](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2929.04)).

**Oklahoma** - First-degree murder in conjunction with a finding of at least 1 of 8 statutorily defined aggravating circumstances. ([21 OK Stat § 21-701.12 (2015)](https://law.justia.com/codes/oklahoma/2015/title-21/section-21-701.12/))

**Oregon** - Aggravated murder ([ORS § 163.095](https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/163.095)).

**Pennsylvania** - First-degree murder with 18 aggravating circumstances. \[[42 Pa.C.S. § 9711](http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=42&div=0&chpt=97&sctn=11&subsctn=0)\]

**South Carolina** - Murder with 1 of 12 aggravating circumstances ([§ 16-3-20(C)(a)](https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c003.php))

**South Dakota** - First-degree murder with 1 of 10 aggravating circumstances. ([S.D.C.L. 23A-27A-1](http://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=23A-27A-1)).

**Tennessee** - First-degree murder ([Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-202](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-39/chapter-13/part-2/39-13-202/)) with 1 of 18 aggravating circumstances ([Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-204](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/2010/title-39/chapter-13/part-2/39-13-204)).

**Texas** - Capital murder, defined as criminal homicide with 1 of 9 aggravating circumstances ([Tex. Penal Code § 19.03](https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.19.htm)).

**Utah** - Aggravated murder ([Utah Code Ann. § 76-5-202](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title76/Chapter5/76-5-S202.html?v=C76-5-S202_2017050920170509)).

**Virginia** - \[Abolished the death penalty in 2021\]

**Washington\*\*\*** - Aggravated first-degree murder. \[[RCW § 10.95.020](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=10.95.020)\] \[In October 2018, the Washington Supreme Court [found](https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/880867.pdf) the existing statute unconstitutional.\]

**Wyoming** - First-degree murder, including premeditated murder and murder during the commission of sexual assualt, sexual abuse of a minor, arson, robbery, burglary, escape, resisting arrest, kidnapping, or abuse of a minor younger than age 16 ([W.S.A. § 6-2-101(a)](https://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2010/Title6/chapter2.html))

\*The Delaware Supreme Court held that a portion of Delaware's death penalty sentencing statute (11 Del. C. § 4209) was unconstitutional (*Rauf v. State*, 145 A.3d 430 (Del. 2016)). No legislative action has been taken to amend the statute. As a result, capital cases are no longer pursued in Delaware.

\*\*New York abolished the death penalty in 2007. BJS lists the statute with a note explaining that the New York Court of Appeals held that a portion of the state's death-penalty sentencing statute (CPL 400.27) was unconstitutional. *See* People v. Taylor, 9 N.Y. 3d 129 (2007) (applying ruling to remaining prisoners on death row). No legislative action has been taken to amend the statute. As a result, capital cases are no longer pursued in New York.

\*\*\*Washington state Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation on April 21, 2023, formally abolishing the death penalty and removing the state laws that were previously found unconstitutional.