Executions and Stays 2019

(Last updated December 11, 2019)
65 execution dates have been scheduled by 11 states and the Federal Government for 2019.
To date, there have been 22 executions in 7 states.
24 executions have been stayed.
0 executions have been halted by commutation.
13 executions have been halted by reprieve.
3 executions were rendered moot when the prisoners died on death row.
3 warrants have been withdrawn.
0 death warrants are pending.

Date of Scheduled ExecutionStatePrisonerOutcome
January
9OHElwood Hubert JonesReprieve Granted until April 21, 2021 by Gov. John Kasich on September 1, 2017.^
15TXBlaine MilamStay granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on January 14, 2019 to permit litigation of successive state post-conviction petition raising new evidence claims, “[b]ecause of recent changes in the science pertaining to bite mark comparisons and recent changes in the law pertaining to the issue of intellectual disability.”
30TXRobert JenningsExecuted
JANUARY 20193 executions scheduled in 2 states1 execution; 1 execution stayed; 1 execution halted by reprieve.
February
7ALDomineque Hakim Marcelle RayExecuted after U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 on February 7, 2019 to vacate a stay granted the day before by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit. The 11th Circuit had stayed Ray’s execution to resolve his claim that Alabama violated his right to religious freedom by denying him access to an imam during his execution in circumstances in which it would have provided a Christian prisoner access to a chaplain’s religious service.
13OHJames G. HannaReprieve Granted on September 1, 2017 by Gov. John Kasich, and execution rescheduled for December 11, 2019
13OHWarren K. HennessReprieve granted on January 25, 2019 by Gov. Mike DeWine, and execution rescheduled for September 12, 2019.
28TXBillie Wayne CobleExecuted.
FEBRUARY 20194 executions scheduled in 3 states2 executions; 2 executions halted by reprieve.
March
8PATimothy M. JacobyLegally premature death warrant. Stay granted by the York County Court of Common Pleas on February 8, 2019 to permit Jacoby to pursue state post-conviction appeals that are available to all Pennsylvania prisoners as a matter of right.
20OHArchie J. DixonReprieve granted by Gov. John Kasich on September 1, 2017^, and execution rescheduled for June 23, 2021
28TXPatrick MurphyStay granted by the U.S. Supreme Court on March 28, 2019 “pending the timely filing and disposition of a petition for a writ of certiorari unless the State permits Murphy’s Buddhist spiritual advisor or another Buddhist reverend of the State’s choosing to accompany Murphy in the execution chamber during the execution.”
MARCH 20193 executions scheduled in 3 states2 executions stayed; 1 execution halted by reprieve.
April
11TXMark Allen RobertsonStay granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on April 8, 2019 “pending further order from this Court” on whether to reconsider the issues presented in his 1997 state habeas corpus petition.
11ALChristopher PriceStay granted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama on April 11 as part of preliminary injunction against Alabama execution protocol. New stay granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit to consider jurisdictional issues presented by the District Court stay. By a post-midnight 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the stay, but it was still in effect when the state’s corrections department called off the execution because the death warrant was about to expire.
17OHJeffrey A. WogenstahlStay granted by the Ohio Supreme Court on October 24, 2018 pending “exhaustion of all state post-conviction proceedings, including any appeals.”
24TXJohn William KingExecuted.
APRIL 20194 executions scheduled in 2 states1 execution; 3 executions stayed.
May
2TXDexter JohnsonStay granted by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas on April 30, 2019 to provide recently appointed habeas corpus counsel 90 days to develop a series of claims relating to the alleged ineffective representation provided by prior counsel.
2GAScotty MorrowExecuted
16TNDonnie Edward Johnson

Executed 7:37 p.m. CT

16ALMichael Samra

Executed 7:33 p.m. CT

23FLRobert Long

Executed

29OHTimothy J. HoffnerReprieve granted and execution rescheduled for August 11, 2021 by Gov. John Kasich on September 1, 2017^
29OHCleveland JacksonReprieve granted by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 7, 2019 and execution rescheduled for November 13, 2019.+
30ALChristopher Lee Price

Executed

MAY 20198 executions scheduled in 6 states

5 executions; 1 execution stayed; 2 executions halted by reprieve.

June
3OHJames WorleyPremature death warrant. Stay granted by the Ohio Supreme Court on August 20, 2018 to permit Worley to pursue his right to a direct appeal of his conviction and death sentence.
5OHAlva CampbellDied on March 3, 2018.
7GATiffany MossTrial court issued legally premature death warrant scheduling execution for week between June 7–June 14. The execution date was stayed as a matter of law when Moss’s lawyers filed a motion for new trial in the trial court.
20GAMarion Wilson

Executed

JUNE 20194 executions scheduled in 2 states1 execution; 1 execution rendered moot when the prisoner died on death row; 2 legally premature death warrant stayed
July
10OHKareen M. JacksonReprieve granted by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 7, 2019 and execution rescheduled for January 16, 2020.+
16PAWilliam RiveraLegally premature death warrant. Stay granted by the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on June 6, 2019 to permit Rivera to pursue federal habeas corpus review to which all state prisoners are entitled as a matter of law.
31TXRuben GutierrezWarrant withdrawn. New death warrant issued rescheduling execution for October 30, 2019.
JULY 20193 executions scheduled in 3 states1 execution halted by reprieve; 1 legally premature death warrant stayed; 1 warrant withdrawn
August
14OHGregory LottReprieve granted by Gov. Mike DeWine on March 7, 2019 and execution rescheduled for March 12, 2020.+
15TNStephen Michael West

Executed

15TXDexter JohnsonStay granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on August 14, 2019.
19LAJason ReevesLegally premature death warrant. Stay granted by the U.S. District Court in Louisiana on August 9, 2019 to permit Reeves to pursue federal habeas corpus review to which all state prisoners are entitled as a matter of law.
21TXLarry Swearingen

Executed

22FLGary Ray Bowles

Executed

AUGUST 20196 executions scheduled in 5 states3 executions; 1 execution halted by reprieve; 2 executions stayed.
September
4TXBilly Jack CrutsingerExecuted
10TXMark SolizExecuted
12OHWarren Keith HennessReprieve granted on July 31, 2019 by Gov. Mike DeWine and execution rescheduled for May 14, 2020.
18OHDouglas ColeyReprieve granted and execution rescheduled for August 12, 2020 by Gov. John Kasich on September 1, 2017.^
25TXRobert Sparks

Executed

SEPTEMBER 20195 executions scheduled in 2 states3 executions; 2 executions halted by reprieve
October
1MORussell BucklewExecuted
2TXStephen BarbeeStay granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on September 23, 2019 to determine whether to apply the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2018 decision in McCoy v. Louisiana to Barbee’s case.
10TNCharles Walton Wright

Died on May 17, 2019.

10TXRandy Halprin

Stay granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on October 4, 2019 and case remanded to the trial court to address Halprin’s claim of judicial bias in his case.

16TXRandall Mays

Warrant withdrawn on October 4, 2019 by the Henderson County District Court “to permit the Court time to properly review all medical records submitted” to determine Mays’ competency to be executed.

17OHJames FrazierReprieve granted and execution rescheduled for October 20, 2021 by Gov. John Kasich on September 1, 2017.^
17OHAngelo Fears

Resentenced to life without parole on May 22, 2019, by agreement between the defense and prosecutors. Warrant vacated on June 24, 2019 by Ohio Supreme Court.

23OHJason DeanDied on March 23, 2019.
30TXRuben Gutierrez

Stay granted by Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on October 22, 2019 based on defects in the issuance and service of the death warrant.

30GARay Jefferson Cromartie

Stay granted by Georgia Supreme Court on October 30, 2019 to provide the court time to decide an already pending legal issue.

OCTOBER 201910 executions scheduled in 5 states1 execution; 4 executions stayed; 1 execution halted by reprieve; 2 executions rendered moot when the prisoner died on death row; 1 warrant withdrawn; 1 warrant vacated
November
3SDCharles Rhines

Executed

6TXJusten Hall

Executed

7FLJames DaileyStay granted on October 23, 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida until December 30, 2019 to provide newly appointed habeas corpus counsel time to investigate and present potential claims for relief.
13OHCleveland JacksonReprieve granted by Gov. Mike DeWine on September 20, 2019 and execution rescheduled for January 13, 2021.
13GARay Jefferson Cromartie

Executed

13TXPatrick Murphy

Stay granted on November 7, 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to permit full review of claim that Texas denies non-Christians equal access to religious advisors during execution process. Stay upheld on November 12 by a split panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

20TXRodney Reed

Stay granted on November 15, 2019 by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals with directions that the trial court review Reed’s claims that “the State suppressed exculpatory evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland”; “the State presented false testimony in violation of due process”; and that Reed “is actually innocent.”

30SCTimothy Jones, Jr.Trial court issued legally premature death warrant that was stayed by operation of law in June 2019 by Rule 246 of the South Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure when Jones’s lawyers filed a notice of intent to appeal his conviction and sentence.
NOVEMBER 20198 executions scheduled in 6 states3 executions; 4 death warrants stayed; 1 execution halted by reprieve
December
5TNLee Hall, Jr.Executed
9FederalDaniel Lewis Lee

Preliminary injunction granted on November 21, 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia based on a determination that the federal execution protocol announced in July 2019 violates the federal death penalty statute. Motion to vacate injunction denied on December 2 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Application to vacate injunction denied on December 6 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stay granted on December 5, 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to permit litigation of a claim that federal prosecutors withheld exculpatory evidence and presented false argument exaggerating Lee’s involvement in a prior murder. Stay vacated on December 6 by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

11OHJames Hanna

Reprieve granted by Gov. Mike DeWine on October 30, 2019 and execution rescheduled for July 16, 2020.

11FederalLezmond Mitchell

Stay granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on October 4, 2019 pending resolution of an appeal for which a certificate of appealability had already been granted prior to the issuance of the death warrant

11TXTravis Runnels

Executed

13FederalWesley Ira Purkey

Preliminary injunction granted on November 21, 2019 by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia based on a determination that the federal execution protocol announced in July 2019 violates the federal death penalty statute. Motion to vacate injunction denied on December 2 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Application to vacate injunction denied on December 6 by the U.S. Supreme Court.

13PAJakeem Towles

Legally premature death warrant. Stay granted by the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on November 15, 2019 to permit Towles to pursue federal habeas corpus review to which all state prisoners are entitled as a matter of law.

DECEMBER 20197 executions scheduled by 4 states and the Federal Government1 execution; 4 death warrants stayed or enjoined; 1 execution halted by reprieve; 0 warrants pending

* On February 19, 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine stated that the state would not carry out any executions until it devised a new execution protocol that was approved by the courts. However, he did not formally halt the executions scheduled in the state.

^ On September 1, 2017, Ohio Governor John Kasich issued a statement and an updated execution schedule, which changed the execution dates for 19 of 26 condemned prisoners who had scheduled dates between September 2017 and September 2020. The execution schedule for these 26 prisoners now extends through April 2022.

+ One of three reprieves Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued on March 7, 2019 as a result of the absence of an acceptable lethal-injection protocol.

“Volunteer” refers to prisoners who have voluntarily waived their normal appeals (not necessarily that they have volunteered for execution).

2019 Death Warrant Outcomes Nationally, by Month
MonthScheduled
Executions
ExecutionsStayed by Courts*CommutationsReprievesDied on
Death Row
RescheduledDate Removed or
Warrant Withdrawn
January31101000
February42002000
March30201000
April41300000
May85102000
June41200100
July30101001
August63201000
September53002000
October101

4

01202
November

8

3401000
December7

2

40

1

000
Total652224013303

* Does not include cases with stays of execution or preliminary injunctions that are currently under appeal or are still subject to appeal.

2019 Death Warrant Outcomes by State
StateScheduled
Executions
ExecutionsStayed by Courts*CommutationsReprievesDied on
Death Row
RescheduledDate Removed or
Warrant Withdrawn
Texas21

9

10

00002
Ohio180

2

013201
Georgia53200000
Alabama43100000
Tennessee43000100
Florida32100000
Federal Government30300000
Pennsylvania30300000
Missouri11000000
South Dakota11000000
Louisiana10100000
South Carolina1

0

100000
TOTALS652224013303

* Does not include cases with stays of execution or preliminary injunctions that are currently under appeal or are still subject to appeal.