US EditionPublished • loading... • Updated
8 executions in October: Why the death penalty is being used more in the US this year
The increase in executions is driven by four states responsible for 76% of 2025's total, as political pressure encourages more use of the death penalty, officials say.
- This year, Thirty-four men have died by court-ordered executions in the United States, with eight others scheduled by year's end, including five in the next eight days.
- The rise is concentrated in a handful of states, with Florida sharply increasing executions to 13 this year and all but one run by Republican governors.
- Richard Kenneth Djerf faces execution on Oct. 17 by lethal injection for killing four family members, while Anthony Todd Boyd is scheduled for Oct. 23 by nitrogen gas; multiple states including Florida and Texas use lethal injection.
- Texas' top criminal court on Thursday paused Robert Roberson's scheduled Oct. 16 lethal injection while a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers argues for a new trial over shaken baby syndrome.
- Comparatively, this year's total could approach 2012 levels of 43 executions, as President Donald Trump has urged governors to expand their use of the death penalty.
Insights by Ground AI
45 Articles
45 Articles
The Southern+41 Reposted by 41 other sources
8 executions in October: Why the death penalty is being used more in the US this year
The increase in executions is largely being driven by four states — Florida, Texas, Alabama and South Carolina — that have carried out 76% of this year's court-ordered killings.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources45
Leaning Left6Leaning Right6Center28Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Center
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources are Center
70% Center
15%
C 70%
15%
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
