Nevada

History of the Death Penalty

Nevada was the first state in the United States to use the gas chamber, and executed 32 men with that method from 1924 – 1979. All executions in Nevada since 1979 have been carried out by lethal injection.

Timeline

1913 — Nevada invents an “automated firing squad” comprised of three rifles mounted on an iron frame that all fire simultaneously. It is used once in the execution of Andriza Mircovich.

1924 — Gee Jon is the first person in the United States to be executed by lethal gas.

1973 — Nevada reinstate the death penalty following Furman v. Georgia.

2011 — Nevada Senate passes a bill that authorizes an audit of the cost of the state’s application of the death penalty.

2016 — Nevada Department of Corrections sends 247 requests for proposals to pharmaceutical suppliers and receives no bids to supply the state with lethal injection drugs.

2017 — A Nevada judge issues a stay of execution for Scott Dozier, putting off the country’s first attempted execution using an unprecedented lethal injection protocol featuring the opioid pain medication fentanyl and the paralytic drug cisatracurium.

2018 — In response to a lawsuit filed by pharmaceutical manufacturer Alvogen, Inc., a Nevada District Judge stays the July 11 execution of Scott Dozier and prohibits Nevada from using drugs produced by Alvogen to execute Mr. Dozier.

2020 — Alvogen, Inc., Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA, and Sandoz Inc. reach a settlement with Nevada after state officials return unused drugs obtained under false pretenses.

2021 — Nevada Press Association files a federal lawsuit challenging the limitations that Nevada’s execution protocol and secrecy laws place on the media’s ability to witness and report on executions.

2021 — Nevada Supreme Court finds Samuel Howard innocent after 40 years on death row.

2022 — Nevada judge blocks request from outgoing Governor Sisolak for the Nevada Pardons Board to consider commuting all death sentences to life without the possibility of parole.

Famous Cases

In 1924, the use of cyanide gas was introduced, as Nevada sought a more humane way of executing its inmates. Gee Jon was the first person in the United States executed by lethal gas. The state tried to pump cyanide gas into Jon’s cell while he slept, but this proved impossible, and the gas chamber was constructed.

In 2010, Ronnie Milligan was released from prison after 20 years on death row. Doubts concerning Milligan’s guilt were also raised after a letter written by an eyewitness at his trial, Ramon Houston, was discovered. In the letter, Houston indicated that he killed the victim. The letter also disclosed that Milligan, who testified at his trial that he was in an alcoholic blackout at the time of the crime, was not even at the scene when the victim was killed. Another co-defendant signed an affidavit saying that Milligan was not present during the killing, and that everybody involved conspired against him when they learned he had no memory of that day. Expressing “grave reservations” about Milligan’s guilt, District Judge Richard Wagner sentenced Milligan to a term of life with the possibility of parole and determined that Milligan was immediately eligible for parole.

Notable Exonerations

Roberto Miranda spent 14 years on death row before his conviction was reversed. A witness, Fernando Cabrera, claimed he drove with Miranda to Manuel Rodriguez Torres’ house and waited outside. Cabrera had motive to frame Miranda because Miranda was having an affair with his girlfriend. At trial, Miranda had been represented by an attorney with one year’s experience who had inherited the case when his colleague died. In overturning his conviction, Clark County Senior District Judge Norman Robison wrote: “The lack of pretrial preparation by trial counsel … cannot be justified.”

Interesting Facts

In 1913, Nevada invented an “automated firing squad” comprised of three rifles mounted on an iron frame that fired simultaneously. It was used once, in the execution of Andriza Mircovich.

The last inmates at Nevada State Prison were removed in January, 2012, but the state’s execution chamber remains there.

Resources

• Department of Corrections
• Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty
• Advisory Council for Prosecuting Attorneys
• Public defender’s office
• Victims’ services

Nevada Execution Totals Since 1976