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State And Federal Info

Puerto Rico

History of the Death Penalty

Spanish colonists brought the death penalty to Puerto Rico. The first recorded executions in Puerto Rico took place in 1514, when four slaves were hanged for an uprising. From 1514-1929, 589 executions were carried out in Puerto Rico. (Source: Jalil Sued-Badillo, PhD., La Pena de Muerte en Puerto Rico: Retrospectiva histórica para una reflexión contemporánea, Puerto Rico, 2000.)

Notable cases

The last execution in Puerto Rico was the hanging of Pascual Ramos in 1927 for the murder of his boss.

In 2005, an Appeal Court of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico held that it would be unconstitutional to extradite Juan Melendez Cruz to Pennsylvania if he faced a possible death sentence. The court referred to the issue as one involving the fundamental right to life. In July 2003, Philadelphia District Attorney spokeswoman Cathie Abookire confirmed that Melendez Cruz, a Puerto Rican native, could face the death penalty in Pennsylvania. Melendez Cruz’s attorney, Eileen Diaz, argued that extradition of her client under such circumstances was prohibited by the Puerto Rican constitution.

Milestones in abolition/reinstatement

Puerto Rico abolished the death penalty in 1929, two years after its last execution.

In 1952, when Puerto Rico drafted and ratified its own constitution, the Bill of Rights included the straightforward decree “the death penalty shall not exist.”

Because of Puerto Rico’s status as a Commonwealth of the United States, it is subject to some federal laws, and the U.S. has recently sought the death penalty on federal charges in a number of cases. However, no death sentences have resulted.

Other interesting facts

The first Inquisition court in the western hemisphere was established in San Juan in 1519.

Resources

  • Department of Corrections
  • ACLU of Puerto Rico
  • Puerto Rico Department of Justice
  • Federal Public Defender, District of Puerto Rico
  • Victims’ services
Puerto Rico Capitol building. Photo by Mtmelendez.
Puerto Rico Capitol build­ing. Photo by Mtmelendez.

News & Developments


United States Supreme Court

Oct 12, 2020

Capital Case Roundup — Death Penalty Court Decisions the Week of October 5, 2020

NEWS (10/​5/​20) — Washington, D.C.: The 2020 – 2021 U.S. Supreme Court term opened on October 5 with the Court declin­ing to review chal­lenges to more than 30 death-penal­ty court deci­sions. The only death-pen…

Dec 31, 2003

The Death Penalty in Puerto Rico

History of the Death Penalty Capital pun­ish­ment was used dur­ing the Spanish regime. The first ver­i­fied exe­cu­tions took place in 1514, when four slaves were hanged for upris­ing. The first Inquisition court in the west­ern hemi­sphere was es…

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View Information by State

Additional Information


  • Death Penalty: No
  • Number of Executions Since 1976: 0
  • Number of Executions Before 1976 (may include federal and military executions): 589 (dating back to 16th century)
  • Current Death Row Population: 0
  • Women on Death Row: 0
  • Number of Innocent People Freed From Death Row: 0
  • Number of Clemencies Granted: 0
  • Date of Reinstatement (following Furman v. Georgia): N/A
  • Date of Abolition: 1929
  • Location of Death Row/Executions: N/A
  • Capital: San Juan
  • Region: N/A
  • Population: 3,285,874*
  • Murder Rate (per 100,000 population): 19.0
  • Is Life Without Parole an Option?: Yes
  • Method of Execution: N/A
  • Clemency Process: N/A
  • Governor: Alejandro Garcia Padilla

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