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State And Federal Info

Oregon

History of the Death Penalty

The death penalty was first adopted in Oregon in 1864. Hangings were carried out publicly until 1903, when the Oregon Legislature amended the law and moved executions to the Oregon State Penitentiary.

Milestones in Abolition/Reinstatement

Oregon abolished the death penalty in 1914 via popular vote. It was reinstated again in 1920, also by popular vote. In 1964, Oregon voters once again voted to repeal the death penalty. On Nov. 5, 1964, two days after Oregon voters abolished the death penalty for the second time, then-Gov. Mark O. Hatfield commuted the death sentences of the three inmates on death row, including the only woman ever to be sentenced to death in Oregon.

The death penalty was reinstated by popular vote in 1978.

In 1981, the Oregon Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional, but Oregon voters reinstated capital punishment in 1984.

On November 22, 2011, Governor John Kitzhaber declared a moratorium on executions, saying “I refuse to be a part of this compromised and inequitable system any longer; and I will not allow further executions while I am Governor.” Both of Oregon’s post-Furman executions happened during Kitzhaber’s first administration as governor. Both inmates dropped their appeals and “volunteered” for execution. Of those two executions, Kitzhaber said, “I was torn between my personal convictions about the morality of capital punishment and my oath to uphold the Oregon constitution. They were the most agonizing and difficult decisions I have made as Governor and I have revisited and questioned them over and over again during the past 14 years.”

Saying “[t]here needs to be a broader discussion about fixing the system,” Governor Kate Brown announced on February 18, 2015, that she would continue the state’s moratorium on executions. Brown said “[u]ntil that discussion, I will be upholding the moratorium imposed by Gov. Kitzhaber.”

On December 13, 2022, Governor Kate Brown announced that she would grant clemency to all 17 people on Oregon’s death row. Their sentences were commuted to life without parole.

Other Interesting Facts

Oregon executed two brothers (George and Charles Humphery) on the same day in 1913.

Crater Lake. Photo via NSBP.
Crater Lake. Photo via NSBP.

Resources

  • Department of Corrections
  • Oregonians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
  • Oregon History of the Death Penalty
  • Oregon District Attorneys Association
  • Oregon Capital Resource Center
  • Office of Public Defense Services
  • Crime Victim and Survivors Services

Oregon Execution Totals Since 1976

News & Developments


New Voices

Feb 21, 2023

NEW PODCAST: Former Prison Superintendent Frank Thompson on How Executions Affect Corrections Officers

In the February 2023 edi­tion of Discussions with DPIC, for­mer Oregon Superintendent of Prisons Frank Thompson speaks with DPIC Managing Director Anne Holsinger about how his expe­ri­ences as a cor­rec­tions offi­cer — as well as being a mur­der v…

NEW PODCAST: Former Prison Superintendent Frank Thompson on How Executions Affect Corrections Officers

Clemency

Dec 14, 2022

Gov. Kate Brown Commutes the Sentences of Oregon’s 17 Death-Row Prisoners

Calling the death penal­ty ​“both dys­func­tion­al and immoral,” Oregon Governor Kate Brown (pic­tured) has com­mut­ed the death sen­tences of the 17 pris­on­ers on the state’s death row. The com­mu­ta­tions, which the gov­er­nor announced on Dec…

Gov. Kate Brown Commutes the Sentences of Oregon’s 17 Death-Row Prisoners

Public Opinion

Dec 06, 2022

Midterm Elections: Moratorium Supporters, Reform Prosecutors Post Gains Despite Massive Campaign Efforts to Tie Reformers to Surge in Violent Crime

In a year that fea­tured mas­sive cam­paign adver­tis­ing attempt­ing to por­tray legal reform­ers as respon­si­ble for increas­es in vio­lent crime, can­di­dates com­mit­ted to crim­i­nal legal reform or who promised to con­tin­ue statewide mora­to­ria on exe­cu­tions p…

Midterm Elections: Moratorium Supporters, Reform Prosecutors Post Gains Despite Massive Campaign Efforts to Tie Reformers to Surge in Violent Crime

Recent Legislative Activity

Oct 08, 2021

Oregon Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence in Decision that Could Clear the State’s Entire Death Row

In a deci­sion that advo­cates say could clear the state’s death row, the Oregon Supreme Court (jus­tices pic­tured) has over­turned death-row pris­on­er David Ray Bartol’s death sen­tence because the crime he com­mit­ted i…

Oregon Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence in Decision that Could Clear the State’s Entire Death Row

Capital Case Development

Oct 06, 2021

Oregon Appellate Court Grants New Trial to Death-Row Prisoner Jesse Johnson, Finding Trial Counsel Failed to Interview Witness Whose Testimony Could Potentially Exonerate Him

An Oregon appel­late court has grant­ed a new tri­al to death-row pris­on­er Jesse Johnson, find­ing his tri­al coun­sel inef­fec­tive for fail­ing to inter­view a neigh­bor of the homi­cide vic­tim whose eye­wit­ness tes­ti­mo­ny co…

Oregon Appellate Court Grants New Trial to Death-Row Prisoner Jesse Johnson, Finding Trial Counsel Failed to Interview Witness Whose Testimony Could Potentially Exonerate Him

Representation

Aug 04, 2020

Angela McAnulty, Only Woman on Oregon’s Death Row, Resentenced to Life in Prison

The only woman on Oregon’s death row has been resen­tenced to life in prison. On August 3, 2020, the Lane County Circuit Court accept­ed a set­tle­ment agree­ment in which Lane County pros­e­cu­tors agreed to drop their appeal of a 2019 r…

Angela McAnulty, Only Woman on Oregon’s Death Row, Resentenced to Life in Prison

Conditions on Death Row

May 19, 2020

Oregon Closes Death Row, Joins National Trend Away from Automatic Solitary Confinement

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) has announced that it will close the state’s death row and inte­grate most of its cap­i­tal­ly sen­tenced pris­on­ers into the gen­er­al prison pop­u­la­tion. The move reflects the con­tin­u­ing decline…

Oregon Closes Death Row, Joins National Trend Away from Automatic Solitary Confinement

Crimes Punishable by Death

Dec 23, 2019

DPIC Analysis: Death Penalty Erosion Spreads Across the Western United States in 2019

In a year of declin­ing death-penal­ty usage across the United States, nowhere was the ero­sion of cap­i­tal pun­ish­ment as sus­tained and pro­nounced in 2019 as it was in the west­ern United States. Continuing a wave of momen­tum from 

DPIC Analysis: Death Penalty Erosion Spreads Across the Western United States in 2019

Recent Legislative Activity

Aug 26, 2019

Oregon’s New Law Narrowing Use of Death Penalty: How Retroactive is ​“Not Retroactive”?

When Oregon’s leg­is­la­tors passed a new law lim­it­ing the scope of the state’s death penalty

Oregon’s New Law Narrowing Use of Death Penalty: How Retroactive is “Not Retroactive”?

Recent Legislative Activity

Aug 02, 2019

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Narrowing Use of the Death Penalty

Calling the state’s death penal­ty ​“dys­func­tion­al,” ​“cost­ly,” and ​“immoral,” Oregon Governor Kate Brown (pic­tured, left, at sign­ing cer­e­mo­ny) on August 1, 2019 signed a bill sig­nif­i­cant­ly lim­it­ing the crimes for wh…

Oregon Governor Signs Bill Narrowing Use of the Death Penalty
View More

View Information by State

Additional Information


  • Death Penalty: Yes
  • Number of Executions Since 1976: 2
  • Number of Executions Before 1976 (may include federal and military executions): 122
  • Current Death Row Population: 0
  • Women on Death Row: 0
  • Number of Innocent People Freed From Death Row: 0
  • Number of Clemencies Granted: 17
  • Date of Reinstatement (following Furman v. Georgia): December 7, 1978
  • Location of Death Row: Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem
  • Location of Executions: Oregon State Penitentiary, Salem
  • Capital: Salem
  • Region: West
  • Population: 4,237,256*
  • Murder Rate (per 100,000 population): 2.75
  • Is Life Without Parole an Option?: Yes
  • Can a defendant get death for a felony in which s/he was not responsible for the murder?: No
  • Method of Execution: Injection
  • How is Sentenced Determined?: Jury
  • Clemency Process: Governor has sole authority to grant clemency
  • Governor: Kate Brown

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