Publications & Testimony

A new report published on the 40^th anniversary of the United Nation’s creation of the ‘abolitionist de facto’ (ADF) category, Between Retention and Abolition: Making Sense of a Death Penalty Without Executions, examines the legal, political, and symbolic role of the death penalty in countries that retain the death penalty but have either not carried out an execution in 10 years or have established an official moratorium. Authored by researchers at UK-based The Death Penalty Project and The…

Indiana’s seemingly paradoxical resumption of executions, with three over the last year, is drawing scrutiny from many corners of the state. Governor Mike Braun, legislators from both political parties, public defenders and even prosecutors have raised questions about the costs of prosecuting capital cases and obtaining drugs for executions; the failure of capital punishment to deter crime; and the increasing reluctance of Indiana juries to sentence defendants to death in the rare cases in…

On Veterans Day, the Death Penalty Information Center will release a new report about veterans and the death penalty, exploring the lasting effects of military service and explaining why military experiences matter when veterans interact with the legal system. This article takes a moment to reflect on* *Battle Scars* *— DPI’s first pathbreaking report about veterans and the death penalty released a decade ago — and two of the powerful individual stories of…

On October 23, 2025, Alabama executed Anthony Boyd, despite his unwavering claim of innocence and a fiery dissent authored by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, renewing the serious concerns that have been consistently raised about the state’s use of nitrogen gas. Justice Sotomayor, joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson, dissented from the Court’s October 23, 2025, denial of a stay of execution, writing that Alabama’s use of nitrogen gas “violates the Constitution by inflicting…

On October 17, 2025, the federal judiciary announced that starting on October 20, the branch would no longer have the funds needed to “sustain full, paid operations.” This latest development is a direct result of the federal government shutdown that began on October 1. Until funding is restored, federal judges will continue their bench duties, but court staff may only perform “activities” necessary for constitutional functions — all without pay. The current funding crisis compounds an already…

On Veterans Day, the Death Penalty Information Center will release a new report about veterans and the death penalty, exploring the lasting effects of military service and explaining why military experiences matter when veterans interact with the legal system. This article shares the story of one death-sentenced veteran, Frederick Mendoza. Frederick Mendoza enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1967 as a basic rifleman and served over 18 months in Vietnam. He was on the front lines of some of the…

Anthony Boyd is scheduled to be executed in Alabama on October 23, 2025, for his role in the 1993 kidnapping and murder of Gregory “New York” Huguley. Mr. Boyd was convicted based solely on eyewitness testimony with no physical evidence linking him to the crime, and he has maintained his innocence. Alabama will execute Mr. Boyd using nitrogen gas, the seventh time state has used this controversial method since January 2024, when the state executed Kenneth Smith in the first-ever execution of…

Edward T. Blake, a forensic scientist who helped pioneer the use of DNA analysis in criminal cases and whose work helped exonerate more than 50 people, including those on death row, died in August 2025 at age 80 from pancreatic cancer. Dr. Blake was the first forensic scientist to use polymerase chain reaction testing, or PCR, on crime-scene DNA. The technique allowed Dr. Blake to extract usable genetic information from evidence samples that could not previously be tested because of old age…