Death Penalty Methods, State by State

The death penalty laws in each state and the District of Columbia. Six states with the death penalty have not had an execution since 1976: Connecticut, Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, NewYork and South Dakota.

ALABAMA – Lethal injection unless inmate requests electrocution

ALASKA – No death penalty

ARIZONA – Lethal injection for those sentenced after Nov. 15, 1992; others may select injection or lethal gas.

ARKANSAS – Lethal injection for those whose offense occurred after July 4, 1983; others may select injection or electrocution.

CALIFORNIA – Lethal injection unless inmate requests gas.

COLORADO – Lethal injection.

CONNECTICUT – Lethal injection.

DELAWARE – Lethal injection.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA – No death penalty.

FLORIDA – Inmate may select lethal injection or electrocution.

GEORGIA – Lethal injection.

HAWAII – No death penalty.

IDAHO – Firing squad if lethal injection is”impractical.”

ILLINOIS – Lethal injection; electrocution authorized if injection is ever held to be unconstitutional.

INDIANA – Lethal injection.

IOWA – No death penalty.

KANSAS – Lethal injection.

KENTUCKY – Lethal injection for those convicted after March 31, 1998; others may select lethal injection or electrocution.

LOUISIANA – Lethal injection.

MAINE – No death penalty.

MARYLAND – Lethal injection for those whose offense occurred on or after March 25, 1994; others may select injection or gas.

MASSACHUSETTS – No death penalty.

MICHIGAN – No death penalty.

MINNESOTA – No death penalty.

MISSISSIPPI – Lethal injection.

MISSOURI – Lethal injection or lethal gas; statute leaves unclear whether decision to be made by inmate or director of state Department of Corrections.

MONTANA – Lethal injection.

NEBRASKA – Electrocution.

NEVADA – Lethal injection.

NEW HAMPSHIRE – Hanging only if lethal injection cannot be given.

NEW JERSEY – Lethal injection.

NEW MEXICO – Lethal injection.

NEW YORK – Lethal injection.

NORTH CAROLINA – Lethal injection.

NORTH DAKOTA – No death penalty.

OHIO – Lethal injection.

OKLAHOMA – Electrocution if lethal injection is ever held to beunconstitutional; firing squad if both injection and electrocution are
held unconstitutional.

OREGON – Lethal injection.

PENNSYLVANIA – Lethal injection.

RHODE ISLAND – No death penalty.

SOUTH CAROLINA – Inmate may select lethal injection or electrocution.

SOUTH DAKOTA – Lethal injection.

TENNESSEE – Lethal injection for those sentenced after Jan. 1, 1999; others may select electric chair or injection.

TEXAS – Lethal injection.

UTAH – Lethal injection; firing squad available to inmates who chose it prior to passage of legislation this year banning the
practice.

VERMONT – No death penalty.

VIRGINIA – Inmate may select lethal injection or
electrocution.

WASHINGTON – Lethal injection unless inmate requests
hanging.

WEST VIRGINIA – No death penalty.

WISCONSIN – No death penalty.

WYOMING – Lethal gas if lethal injection is ever held to be unconstitutional.