24 horas, 3 ejecuciones: EE.UU. dispara el uso de la pena de muerte
Three Executions in One Day: Understanding the Death Penalty Surge in America
What’s Happening Right Now
Important Point: For the first time in 16 years, three people are scheduled to be executed on the same day in the United States.
On Thursday, three men in three different states will face the death penalty:
| Person | Age | State | Crime |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Darrell Hines | 66 | Tennessee | Murder (claims innocence) |
| Jeremy Williams | 41 | Alabama | Rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl (2021) |
| Carlos Cuesta Rodríguez | 71 | Oklahoma | Murder of a woman (2003) |
The Big Picture: Executions Are Rising Fast
By the Numbers
- 2021: Very few executions
- 2024: 4 times more executions than 2021
- 2025: 47 executions across 11 states (up from 25 in 2024)
- 2026 (so far): 19 executions, 12 in Florida alone
Important Point: Even though executions are increasing, public support is dropping. Only 52% of Americans now say the death penalty is morally acceptable—the lowest since the 1970s.
Why Is This Happening? Three Main Reasons
1. The "Trump Factor"
What happened:
- Donald Trump has long supported the death penalty, calling it "essential" for the worst crimes
- 2020 (first term): Ended a 17-year pause on federal executions → 13 people executed in 6 months
- 2021-2025 (Biden): Federal executions paused again
- Day 1 of second term (2025): Signed executive order bringing back federal death penalty
What the order does:
- Expands execution methods (including firing squad)
- Makes it easier to get lethal injection drugs
- Encourages states to seek death penalty for killing police officers
But here’s the catch: Federal cases take years to go through courts and appeals. So we won’t see the full impact for a long time.
2. Florida Is Leading the Way
Important Point: 40% of all U.S. executions in 2025 happened in Florida. Through mid-2026, 12 of 19 executions were in Florida.
Why? Governor Ron DeSantis.
He pushed through major legal changes in 2023:
- Lowered the jury threshold: Used to need all 12 jurors to agree on death penalty. Now only 8 of 12 need to agree.
- Added new capital crimes: Sexual assault of a child under 12 now qualifies for death penalty.
- Unique power: Florida’s governor can sign execution warrants alone—no court approval needed—for prisoners who’ve finished appeals.
DeSantis calls the death penalty a "strong deterrent" and "appropriate punishment for the worst offenders."
3. Many Americans Still Support It (But That’s Changing)
Who supports it:
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier
- State prosecutors like William Scheiner: "Those who engage in this kind of conduct, frankly, deserve their punishment."
- 52% of Americans (Gallup poll)
But the trend is clear:
- 1990s: Juries gave 300+ death sentences per year
- 2025: Only 23 death sentences nationwide
Important Point: Regular citizens on juries—people judging the worst crimes—are increasingly saying "no" to the death penalty.
The Method Problem: How Executions Happen
Drug Shortages
- Pharmaceutical companies refuse to sell drugs for executions
- States can’t get lethal injection drugs easily
New (Old) Methods Return
- South Carolina (2025): Started using firing squads again
- Trump’s order: Expanded federal methods to include firing squad
Botched Executions Are Alarmingly Common
| Statistic | Source |
|---|---|
| 3% of all executions 1890-2010 were botched | Death Penalty Information Center (DPI) |
| Lethal injection = highest failure rate | DPI |
| Over 1/3 of 2022 executions had serious problems | DPI |
Recent Horror Story: Tony Von Carruthers (Tennessee, May 2024)
- Execution team couldn’t find a vein for over an hour
- Blood ran down his chest
- He groaned in pain and told staff he was hurting
- Governor called it "not a failure"—just "couldn’t connect an IV"
The Three Men Facing Execution Thursday
Anthony Darrell Hines (Tennessee)
- 66 years old, bedridden, claims innocence
- Same lethal injection protocol that failed 12 weeks ago with Carruthers
Jeremy Williams (Alabama)
- 41 years old
- Convicted of raping and murdering a 5-year-old (2021)
- Fired his lawyers and volunteered to be executed
- Governor Kay Ivey says no pardon coming
Carlos Cuesta Rodríguez (Oklahoma)
- 71 years old
- Murder conviction from 2003
- Hasn’t asked for clemency
- Age increases risk of botched execution, experts say
Where Things Stand Globally
Important Point: The U.S. is almost alone among Western nations in keeping the death penalty.
| Region | Death Penalty? |
|---|---|
| European Union | Banned |
| Latin America | None have it |
| United States | 27 of 50 states allow it |
| UN Position | "Incompatible with human dignity" |
| Inter-American Commission | Criticizes U.S. for keeping it |
Four states have paused executions (moratoriums):
- California, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania
- Reasons: Botched executions, racial bias concerns, high costs
Summary: The Paradox
| Trend | Direction |
|---|---|
| Number of executions | Rising sharply |
| Public support | Falling steadily |
| Jury death sentences | Plummeted (300+ → 23) |
| States with moratoriums | 4 (and counting) |
| Execution methods | Chaotic (drug shortages, firing squads) |
| Human rights consensus | Opposed by UN and regional bodies |
The bottom line: A few states (especially Florida) and federal policy shifts are driving executions up—even as ordinary Americans, juries, and the international community move away from the death penalty.
FAQ
Why can states execute people if the federal government paused it?
The U.S. has a dual system. Both the federal government and individual states can have their own death penalty laws. Most executions are state-level, not federal.
What does "botched execution" mean?
It means something went seriously wrong during the execution—the person suffered visibly, it took much longer than intended, or the procedure had to be stopped and restarted. Examples: unable to find a vein, wrong drugs given, person conscious and in pain.
Why don’t pharmaceutical companies sell execution drugs?
Most major drug makers have ethical policies against their products being used to kill people. They’ve cut off supply to prisons, creating shortages that lead states to try untested drug combinations or switch to firing squads.
Can a governor just stop an execution?
Yes, in most states. Governors can grant clemency (reduce sentence to life) or issue a reprieve (delay). But in Florida, the governor has unique power to sign death warrants alone—and DeSantis has used it aggressively.
Is the death penalty actually a deterrent?
Research says no. Multiple studies (including by the National Research Council) find no credible evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than life imprisonment. States without the death penalty often have lower murder rates.
This article was adapted from BBC News reporting. The original was written in English and translated using AI tools, then reviewed by BBC journalists.