At the onset of 2025, we look back at the past year in celebration of the hope brought by recent death row commutations, which embody the spirit of this Jubilee Year — a time of mercy and redemption. These actions remind us that the change we hope for is indeed possible.

There are also challenges that persist: a rise in executions and the resumption of death penalty practices in some states. And yet, there is reason for hope. Broad, national public opinion continues to shift away from capital punishment, reflecting growing recognition of its injustices and irreparable flaws.

As the new Administration begins, there is much work to be done. We remain watchful and steadfast, committed to building a justice system rooted in the dignity of every human life and the values of this Jubilee Year.

Below are significant developments from the past quarter, key insights, and CMN’s focus areas for the coming months. Join us in the work that lies ahead.

By the Numbers

23 non-death penalty states

27 death penalty states, 4 of which have paused executions by executive action

25 executions in 2024 carried out across 9 states

76% of executions were carried out by just 4 states

1,607 executions in the U.S. since 1976

NEW ADMINISTRATION

On his first day in office, President Trump issued an Executive Order entitled, “Restoring the Death Penalty and Protecting Public Safety.” The order contradicts the Gospel’s teaching and the Church’s guidance that every life is sacred and deserving of dignity. As people of faith, we will persist in prayer, advocacy, and education, working with unwavering commitment to replace this culture of death with one that upholds life and promotes the kind of justice that is rooted in healing and wholeness — for all people.

CMN’s Executive Director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy released a statement saying, “President Trump’s Executive Order on the death penalty makes no sense. What we know about the death penalty is that it does not deter crime or make communities safer. It’s immoral, flawed and risky, arbitrary and unfair, cruel and dehumanizing.” You can read the full statement here.

Recent Federal Death Penalty Update: On Jan. 15, outgoing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the Department of Justice would rescind the federal government’s lethal injection protocol. Learn More.

EXECUTIONS IN 2024

The number of executions in 2024 slightly increased to 25 (up from 24 in 2023), spanning nine states compared to five in 2023. This marks the tenth consecutive year with fewer than 30 executions. Read CMN’s summary of the Death Penalty Information Center year-end report here.

Notably:

Just four states were responsible for 76% of executions in 2024.
Alabama carried out the most executions in 2024 (6), followed by Texas (5), Oklahoma (4) and Missouri (4). This marked the first year in which Alabama executed more people than any other state.

RESUMING STATES

Several states are taking the regressive steps to resume executions after years without them.

Indiana executed Joseph Corcoran on December 18, 2024 after 15 years without an execution. Most Rev. Charles Thompson, Archbishop of Indianapolis, released a statement saying, “Violence often begets more violence, whether criminal or regulated. We are better than this.”
- The Indiana Catholic Conference is backing a repeal effort in the Indiana Legislature, sponsored by Rep. Robert Morris (R-Fort Wayne), a Catholic.
Arizona announced at the end of the year that the state would resume executions in 2025.
- Executions have been paused in Arizona since January 2023, following three botched executions in 2022.
- Governor Katie Hobbs initiated an independent review of the state’s capital punishment system, but that process was cut short in November 2023, largely understood to be a result of election pressures. Preliminary research deemed the system “fundamentally unreliable, unworkable, and unacceptably prone to errors.”

PUBLIC OPINION

At the end of 2024, two analytical reports were released which demonstrate the continued declining support for the death penalty across the American public. An analysis by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) concluded that Catholic teaching has a significant impact on individuals’ opinion on the death penalty. And an analysis of Gallup’s annual Crime Survey demonstrates that declining support for the death penalty can be attributed to younger generations.

Public support for the death penalty remains at a five-decade low (53%)
More than half of young U.S. adults ages 18 through 43 oppose the death penalty.
Those who attend mass never/seldom support the death penalty at almost 70% as opposed to weekly mass-goers whose support drops to about 40%.

Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)

Gallup

FEDERAL COMMUTATIONS

In a historic move, President Joseph Biden announced in the early morning on December 23, 2024 that he commuted the sentences of 37 individuals (out of 40) on the federal death row to sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

CMN’s Executive Director Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy responded saying, “This historic decision by President Biden advances the cause of human dignity and underscores the sacred value of every human life. Praise God!”

Three men on federal death row were not granted this Presidential relief: Robert Bowers, Dylann Roof, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. All three men have federal appeals remaining that are likely to continue throughout the next four years. While recent Executive Orders issued by President Trump cause reason for vigilance, it is unlikely that the Trump Administration will be able to conduct any executions.

State Commutations

It’s worth noting the influential effect these federal commutations have had and will have on the states.

On December 31, Gov. Roy Cooper commuted the death sentences of 15 men to life without parole, the largest grant of capital clemency in North Carolina’s history. These individuals faced deep inequities, such as racism, outdated laws, and youthful offenses.
Advocates are urging California Governor Gavin Newsom to offer universal clemency to the more than 600 people on the state’s death row. This effort will be a priority for CMN as Gov. Newsom completes his final years in office.

STAYS OF EXECUTION

Robert Roberson (Oct. 17) was granted a stay of execution from the Texas Supreme Court just over an hour before his execution was set to begin. The stay was granted after a Texas House Committee subpoenaed him for testimony at a legislative hearing that was scheduled to take place after Roberson’s execution.
- Roberson was subsequently unable to attend the hearing due to intervention from the Attorney General’s office.
- His stay of execution has been lifted, but no new execution date has been set.
Thomas Creech (Nov. 13) was granted a stay of execution from a federal judge to allow more time to consider pending legal claims in his case.
- Creech has faced over a dozen death warrants and survived a botched lethal injection on February 29, 2024.

IN MEMORIAM

“Right or wrong I accept this situation for what it is. To anyone that I have hurt in this life, I am sorry. I hope that you are able to get closure and move on. I hope to see you in heaven one day.”

—The final words of Christopher Collings, executed by the state of Missouri on Dec. 3.

We pray for those who have been executed these past three months: Garcia White (TX), Derrick Dearman (AL), Richard Moore (SC), Carey Grayson (AL), Christopher Collings (MO), Joseph Corcoran (IN), and Kevin Underwood (OK).

We also pray in a special way for the victims who lost their lives to acts of violence.