Three Deaths Coincide With Surge in U.S. Executions
Thursday will see the execution of Anthony Darrell Hines (Tennessee), Jeremy Williams (Alabama) and Carlos Cuesta‑Rodriguez (Oklahoma) – a rare case of three death‑row inmates on the same day in a country that has executed only 24 people in 2025.
The number of executions over the past year has risen sharply: 47 people were executed in 2025 compared with 25 in 2024, with Florida alone accounting for a third of that total, largely due to policy changes championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.
The growth follows a federal shift under former President Donald Trump, who lifted a moratorium and reinstated the death penalty in 2025, adding new methods and expediting appeals.
State governors now play a decisive role. In Florida, the governor can sign a death warrant without court review, while in other states such as Alabama and Oklahoma the executive’s decision to deny clemency carries weight.
Despite the higher execution numbers, public support for capital punishment is weakening: a Gallup poll shows only 52 % view it as morally acceptable, and jury‑issued death sentences have dropped from hundreds a year to just 23 in 2025.
Legal groups note execution quality concerns, citing lethal‑injection botches and shortages of drugs. Recent attempts in Tennessee to administer lethal injections have failed, prompting debate over whether the scheduled Thursday executions will proceed.
