American Capital Punishment Cases Skyrocketed in the Past Year to Peak in Over a Decade and a Half.

The count of executions in the United States has sharply risen in 2025, hitting a level not seen in since 2009. This sharp uptick is attributed to a concerted push to reinvigorate judicial killings, coupled with a significant change in the stance of the US Supreme Court toward eleventh-hour pleas.

A Sobering Count: Nearly 50 Deaths in a Single Year

Exactly 47 men—each one were male—were put to death by states maintaining the death penalty this year. This number is nearly double the total from 2024, constituting the most active period for executions in the country since 2009.

"The evidence shows that the death penalty in 2025 is growing less popular with the American people even as elected officials carry out death sentences in search of diminishing political benefits."

A Global Outlier

This pronounced rise further separates the US from nearly all other developed nations, very few of which continue the practice. In recent years, just Japan, Singapore, and Taiwan have carried out capital punishment among peer countries.

Contradictory Trends

The resurgence of state killings clashes directly with long-term trends and current public sentiment. For years, the use of the death penalty had been in gradual decline. Meanwhile, surveys indicate approval of capital punishment for those convicted of murder has reached a half-century low, with just over half of Americans in favor. A majority of adults under the age of 55 now are against it.

Executive Action Sets the Tone

On his inauguration day back in office, the sitting President issued an executive order titled "Reinstating Capital Punishment." This order sought to ensure that statutes permitting capital punishment were "respected and faithfully implemented," marking a clear change from the previous presidency.

"The tone is set, the national dialogue sent down from the top—the idea is to use harsh measures to solve social problems," remarked a prominent activist against executions.

State-Level Frenzy

The federal push was mirrored and amplified at the state level. Florida became a particular outlier, carrying out 19 executions in 2025—a dramatic increase from just one the previous year. This shattered the state's prior annual record.

Together with several other southern states, these four states were responsible for almost 75% of all deaths this year. In total, a dozen states employed their execution facilities, up from nine states in 2024.

More Extreme Execution Protocols

As activity increased, some states adopted increasingly extreme techniques. Louisiana concluded a 15-year hiatus and followed another state's lead to use nitrogen gas as an execution method. Observers reported the condemned individual convulsed for multiple minutes during the procedure.

Meanwhile, South Carolina carried out the initial use by firing squad in the US since 2010, deploying this approach for three of its total executions this year. Reports suggested that in one case, faulty targeting may have caused extended agony for the condemned.

The Supreme Court's Role

The increase in death sentences carried out is also connected to the posture of the nation's highest court. The court's conservative majority rejected all applications to halt an execution in 2025, a notable demonstration of judicial disengagement.

This marks a change from the court's traditional function as a last resort for appeals based on claims of innocence, constitutional arguments, or allegations of cruel punishment. "The system now functions lacking a crucial backup," noted a law professor. "The judiciary are supposed to serve as a final check, but that safeguard has been removed."