Death row executions hit an all-time high in over a decade — with 44 this year
Prisoners on death row typically spend over a decade (often more) awaiting execution or court rulings overturning their sentence. Case in point: the state of Florida executed Malik Abdul-Sajjad, formerly Richard Randolph, on November 20, 2025, after 36 years of incarceration. In contrast, Jimmie Duncan, a 57-year-old man from Louisiana, was released on bail on November 26 after his murder conviction was overturned. At the time of his release, he had spent 27 years behind bars. (Picture: Facebook)
In 2025, 44 prisoners were executed. This number is the highest it’s been in over a decade. Following Abdul-Sajjad’s death as the latest death row prisoner to be executed, there have been 1651 executions since 1976. On December 7, NPR’s Sunday morning news magazine, the Weekend Edition Sunday, focused on this news. Host and journalist Ayesha Rascoe spoke with Kat Stromquist, senior reporter for Gulf States Newsroom, who stated that 2025’s execution number is up from 25 last year. (Picture: Getty Images)
Stromquist said she spoke with Robin Maher at the Death Penalty Information Centre, which tracks capital punishment, who confirmed that Florida is the state ‘driving the increase.’ The programme then played a snippet from Stromquist and Maher’s conversation. Maher stated that the ‘only reason there’s an increase in this year’s total number compared to other years is because [Florida] Governor DeSantis [who has overseen 17 executions this year] personally scheduled a record number of executions in Florida.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
During the interview with Rascoe and Stromquist, it was revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic is largely responsible for the increased number of executions. Stromquist stated that Governor DeSantis is only now able to respond to ‘families of the victims of crimes that were, in some cases, committed years ago, and he owes them justice.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
Elsewhere, in 2025, executions were concentrated in four states: Texas, South Carolina, Alabama and of course, Florida. Due to issues with lethal injections — both the difficulty in obtaining them and their controversy after at least two executions were classified as ‘botched’ this year — other methods of execution have been tested. In Alabama, the other controversial nitrogen gas method was used to execute Demetrius Frazier, Gregory Hunt and Anthony Todd Boyd. Defence lawyers have called this form of suffocation a cruel and unusual punishment. Louisiana also used this method for the first time to execute Jessie Hoffman. In South Carolina, three men: Brad Keith Sigmon, Mikal Deen Mahdi, and Stephen Corey Bryant were put to death by firing squad. (Picture: Getty Images)
What are the death row/execution predictions for next year?
According to Stromquist, Maher at the Death Penalty Information Center ‘doesn’t expect a single unusual year like this one to change the general downward trajectory of capital punishment since around the year 2000.’ Stromquist stated that American support for the death penalty has been declining for decades. Specifically, 1994, as per the Death Penalty Information Center. (Picture: Getty Images)
What are the death row/execution predictions for next year?
In October 2025, a Gallup poll confirmed a 30-year trend: every year since 1994, when support for capital punishment was 80%, it has become less popular among Americans. Young Americans are the collective who disapprove the most. As of October 2025, just 52% expressed support for the death penalty. Despite these statistics, the Trump administration supports capital punishment. In September 2025, President Trump signed ‘a Presidential Memorandum directing the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to fully enforce Federal capital punishment laws to deter and punish the most heinous crimes in our Nation’s capital,’ as per The White House. (Picture: EPA)
What are the death row/execution predictions for next year?
The fact sheet stated: ‘The Order directs these Federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in all appropriate cases in the District of Columbia where the evidence and applicable facts justify such a sentence. It directs the Attorney General and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia to pursue Federal jurisdiction to the maximum extent practicable for death-penalty-eligible crimes in Washington, D.C.’ (Picture: Getty Images)
What are the death row/execution predictions for next year?
In August 2025, Trump pledged to ‘restore’ the death penalty upon his return to The White House. During a meeting of his cabinet, he said: ‘Anybody [who] murders something in the capital: capital punishment. Capital capital punishment. If somebody kills somebody in the capital, Washington, DC, we’re going to be seeking the death penalty. And that’s a very strong preventative, and everybody that’s heard it agrees with it.’ (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)
What states have the death penalty?
Currently, 23 states enforce capital punishment. These are: • Alabama • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Florida • Georgia • Idaho • Indiana • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • North Carolina • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Wyoming (Picture: Getty Images) Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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