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Inside the execution chamber at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas.

The Death Penalty

After declines in executions, waning political support and difficulty securing lethal injection drugs, some officials want to revive the death penalty, especially President Donald Trump. We report on cases that reveal the changing dynamics and that shape the future of capital punishment.

KADIR VAN LOHUIZEN/NOOR
Death Sentences
She’s Waited Decades for David Wood’s Execution. Now, Evidence Casts Doubt on His Guilt.
The case of a victim’s mother and one of the longest-serving death row prisoners shows how capital appeals can seem both endless and rushed.
Fulton, a White woman with blonde hair, sits on a gray couch next to picture frames holding photos that show her daughter Desiree, a young White girl.
George Hall, a White man, smokes a cigarette while sitting in the driver's seat of a car.
Death Sentences February 25
He Refused to Become a Jailhouse Snitch. Can He Stop David Wood’s Execution?
Texas plans to execute Wood in March. George Hall claims police wanted him to say that Wood confessed six Texas murders to him in prison.
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ABILENE - TX October 17th, 2024: Portrait of Doctor James Williams Taken in side of his office on Wednesday, October 17th
Death Sentences February 4
Why This Physician Testifies in Favor of the Firing Squad
James Williams is an ER doctor, a hunter, a gunshot victim — and the go-to expert for death row prisoners seeking an alternative to lethal injection.
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Two men wearing black uniforms clasp their hands behind their backs as they walk through a fenced pathway.
Closing Argument February 1
How the U.S. Turned Away From the Death Penalty and Toward ‘Death by Incarceration’
The number of people imprisoned for life continues to climb, even as the overall prison population declines.
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Trump, a White man in a navy suit and a red and navy tie, signs a document while sitting in the Oval Office.
Analysis January 22
Trump’s New Order to Expand the Death Penalty Misses Key Details
The order shows the president’s desire for more executions. But it’s unclear how the administration will carry out its plans, legal experts say.
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U.S. President Joe Biden sits in a white chair in a navy suit with his hands clasped in front of him.
Closing Argument November 16, 2024
Biden Has 65 Days Left in Office. Here’s What He Can Do on Criminal Justice.
Judicial appointments and the death penalty are among areas where a lame-duck administration can still leave a mark.
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Robert Roberson, a light-skinned man wearing a white prison uniform, looks through visitation room glass. A phone hangs on either side of the divider.
Closing Argument September 18, 2024
Robert Roberson’s Death Penalty Case Shows How Justice System Fails People With Autism
He was convicted in his daughter’s death. Those who believe he’s innocent argue his diagnosis helps explain how he ended up facing execution.
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A photo of nine people holding red signs with dates and names in front of a white, columned marble building.
Feature September 17, 2024
Could People Facing the Death Penalty Lose the Right to Tell Juries Their Life Stories?
Some defense lawyers fear that a conservative Supreme Court could overturn that precedent.
By Joe Sexton
A collage shows a color photo of a young White man with glasses and brown hair looking to the side while sitting down. In the foreground and out of focus, two men speak with each other. Around the photo are illustrations depicting a sonogram and brain scan, and photos of a middle-aged White man at a podium and of a memorial with candles and photos.
Feature September 17, 2024
5 Things to Know About How the Parkland Shooter’s Life Was Spared
Key takeaways from our investigation into how Nikolas Cruz’s defense team convinced jurors not to impose the death penalty.
By Joe Sexton
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks during a conference at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City on Aug. 1, 2024. Bailey has aggressively pushed back on efforts by local prosecutors and judges to toss out convictions of people with innocence claims.
Closing Argument August 17, 2024
How Prosecutors Fight Exonerations
As laws are passed to support the wrongfully convicted, some officials in the legal system push back.
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