In an unprecedented occurrence, five U.S. states are poised to carry out executions within a single week, a situation not seen in over two decades. This unusual convergence of capital punishments stands in stark contrast to the overall declining trend in the use and support of the death penalty across the nation.
The states of Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas have scheduled executions between September 22 and September 26, 2024. This marks the first instance since July 2003 that five executions have been slated within a seven-day period, according to data from the Death Penalty Information Center.
Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, noted the rarity of this situation, stating, "Two executions on a single day is uncommon, and four within two days in the same week is particularly unusual." This cluster of executions will bring the total number of executions in the United States to 1,600 since the reinstatement of capital punishment by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976.
The timing of these executions appears to be coincidental rather than coordinated. Eric Berger, a law professor at the University of Nebraska specializing in capital punishment, explained that factors such as drug shortages or execution moratoriums can lead to backlogs, which may result in multiple executions being scheduled close together once issues are resolved.
South Carolina carried out its first execution in 13 years on September 22, using a new single-drug protocol after overcoming challenges in obtaining lethal injection drugs. Alabama is set to conduct its second-ever nitrogen gas execution on September 26, following the first such execution in January 2024.
Texas and Missouri both have executions scheduled for September 24. In Texas, Travis Mullis is set to be executed for a 2008 crime, while Marcellus Williams faces execution in Missouri for a 1998 murder, despite ongoing legal challenges. Oklahoma plans to execute Emmanuel Littlejohn on September 26 for his role in a 1992 robbery and murder.
"After thorough consideration of Mr. Williams' case and the recommendation of the Pardon and Parole Board, I have decided to deny clemency."
It's important to note that the death penalty landscape in the United States has been evolving. Currently, 27 states maintain capital punishment, but only five carried out executions in 2023. Public support for the death penalty has been waning since the 1990s, with growing concerns about the cost of death penalty cases and the risk of executing innocent individuals. DNA evidence has led to the exoneration of over 180 death row inmates since 1973, highlighting the potential for irreversible errors in the justice system.
The United States remains an outlier among Western nations in its continued use of capital punishment. It is the only country in the Americas still carrying out executions and one of just 23 countries worldwide that actively employ the death penalty. This stance has drawn criticism from international human rights organizations, which consistently call for its abolition.
As these five states proceed with their scheduled executions, the event serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing debate surrounding capital punishment in America. While this week may see an unusual spike in executions, the overall trend points towards a gradual decline in the use of the death penalty across the United States.