Capital Punishment - US Department of State

Capital Punishment in United States Continues To Be Debated

The number of executions in the United States in 2006 dropped to its lowest number in 10 years, in part due to legal challenges resulting in many states reviewing their capital punishment policies and procedures.

Due to concerns over how lethal injections are administered, some states are reviewing the process to ensure that lethal injection does not violate the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment provision against cruel and unusual punishment.

Courts throughout the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court, made a number of rulings during 2006 that have impacted state capital punishment policies.

The court's unanimous June 12, 2006, ruling in Hill v. McDonough determined that inmates can challenge lethal injections as a civil rights issue. However, the judges did not rule on whether this method of execution constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. (complete text)