Talk:List of death row inmates in the United States

Federal government execution of federal prisoners (not in military)
There is a section for the US Military, but the Federal Government also has a death penalty, which can (presumably) be applied even in states without the DP themselves.

Timothy McVeigh was executed after being convicted in Federal Court of the Federal Crime of murdering 8 Federal Employees. I believe the Boston Marathon bomber may meet the same fate, despite Mass having no DP as the state Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional according to this article.

A section for this should be added under the US Army section. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.22.76.12 (talk) 01:30, 10 June 2014 (UTC)


 * Marvin Gabrion is on death row for a murder committed in Michigan even though Michigan doesn't have the death penalty. It was in a national park and was tried in federal court. I'm not sure if you want to add a Michigan section or a federal one. It may be a better way to go if a federal section is added.Bali88 (talk) 17:07, 1 July 2014 (UTC)

Articles for deletion
This is at AFD right now, but likely should not be there due it being properly tagged as under construction. If it gets withdrawn (I have requested such) then I think a few should hash the purpose of the article out a little more before worrying about content, per se. Pharmboy (talk) 01:07, 16 January 2008 (UTC)


 * Afd Closed, result was keep. See tag above. --Shirahadasha (talk) 17:37, 20 January 2008 (UTC)

Now where does the article go from here?
Now that the article has passed AFD, what direction should it go? I'm not an expert, but I still think that the article would be better served if it was modified a bit to include ALL persons who have ever served on death row (may or may not require title change, would poll for that). Preferably including dates and disposition. Obviously it can start with the present people, but expanding it would improve it and make it more comprehensive, and it would be good to start with a clear goal: either this one, or something else that is clearly stated here in talk. How it would be organized depends, perhaps in two sections per state, past and present, so moving them after they are released or executed would be trivial. Pharmboy (talk) 18:59, 20 January 2008 (UTC)
 * An article that encompasses every person who has ever served on death row would be unworkable. It may work in a country other than the US, but that article would be way too long to read. Sad state of affairs, isn't it? Bali88 (talk) 17:09, 1 July 2014 (UTC)

This article is a mess.
There are over three thousand people on death row in the US...why these few dozen? http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/death-row-inmates-state-and-size-death-row-year There are absolutely no references either. Czolgolz (talk) 18:41, 20 November 2009 (UTC)


 * I agree this article can be improved. But with 3000 death row inmates, I do not have the time to work on it all myself. I have always hoped that a team of volunteers would do it collaboratively. Perhaps, one person from each state will keep up with those in their own state (there could be multiple volunteers for California and Texas). As for references, plenty are available; every capital case gets plenty of media attention. Hellno2 (talk) 19:10, 20 November 2009 (UTC)

No unreferenced names, per WP:BLP
It is a violation of the policy for biographies of living persons to have a name in this list without at least one reliable source, when the article says these are criminals sentenced to death for murder or some other felony. I have left some names which at least appear to have references in an article about death row inmates in a particular state, but a reference is really required in this article next to the specific name. Round 2 will be removing any remaining name lacking an inline reference. If the list could swell to 3000 names, and no inline references are required, it would be a vandal magnet. Edison (talk) 02:11, 1 May 2011 (UTC)
 * The names for Connecticut are also listed in the article Capital punishment in Connecticut, so I had assumed that the referencing there was adequate until it could be imported here. But I note that while the Connecticut article includes "Eduardo Santiago" as the killer of Joseph Niwinski; this article has a different name,"Robert Williams." The Connecticut article includes a deadlink for most of the names, as well as some individual refs. The individual ref for the death of Niwinski says the murderer was "Eduardo Santiago, jr.", who should be carefully distinguished from any "Eduardo Santiago, sr." No "Robert Williams " is mentioned in the article, which says only that a death penalty is "recommended by the jury," but not that one was imposed by the judge. It is certainly not automatic for the judge to go along with the jury's recommendation. This shows the can of worms we open when we create and try to maintain a dynamic list such as this. Edison (talk) 02:20, 1 May 2011 (UTC)
 * Many entries for Idaho are referenced only to a state website that says they were convicted of murder, or murder 1, not that they are or were under a death sentence. Many First degree murder convictions nationally resulted in life sentences or commuted death sentences. No more time to work on this mess at present. Presented it at BLP noticeboard to get more editors involved in cleaning up the article and correcting any BLP violations. Edison (talk) 03:11, 1 May 2011 (UTC)

New format
Okay, I've edited the article to what I believe will be a more workable format. It's unrealistic to list all 3000 inmates and then keep up with each and every inmate status and certainly a list of all 3000 would be too long to read! These are the new guidelines that I think should be followed (chime in if you think they should be altered):


 * If a state has >20 death row inmates, only list the inmates who currently have a wikipedia article. (an article about the crime they committed like "Murder of ..." counts). If an inmate is particularly notable, but does not have an article yet, they can also be included, but be sure to redlink their name so someone can create it. In states where all inmates are not listed, add an external link to a reliable source listing the inmates in that state if you can find one.


 * When you add an inmate with a wikipedia article, also edit their article to include a link to this article in their "see also" section. This will up the chances that whoever is editing that particular inmates article will help keep this one up to date of any changes in their status. It may also be a good idea to put a note on that talk page asking the editor to update this page if there are any status changes


 * When the number of inmates in a particular state is updated, put in parentheses the date it is being updated (or what date the data was published on the source). The reader will know how up to date the data is and it will prompt editors to know when an update is needed.


 * I changed the "date sentenced" to "time on death row" because I think that will be interesting to the reader. I found a template that calculates to the day. I have so far been unable to find one that does one just in years, but let me know if anyone finds one as some of the exact sentencing dates can be difficult to find. Bali88 (talk) 17:51, 3 July 2014 (UTC)

Addition to Connecticut list
Richard Roszkowski was recently added to Connecticut's death row. Source: Death sentence imposed in Bridgeport triple killing. Please add him to the article. Thanks. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 15:58, 10 August 2014 (UTC)

Possible removal from Connecticut list
It is possible that Eduardo Santiago needs to be removed from the Connecticut list. Here is some information:

Santiago, Eduardo — Santiago had been condemned to death on January 31, 2005; he was convicted of capital felony and murder charges after shooting Joseph Niwinski in the left temple as he slept in his West Hartford apartment on December 14, 2000. Prosecutors said Santiago carried out a murder-for-hire scheme in which he agreed to kill Niwinski in exchange for a broken snowmobile and his credit card debt being paid off. However, the Connecticut Supreme Court overturned Santiago's death sentence on June 4, 2012, and ruled that the trial judge, Elliot Solomon, failed to disclose "significant and relevant" mitigating evidence for jury consideration when they had decided to send Santiago to death row in 2005. The court let Santiago's conviction stand and ordered a new trial.

I am not sure if the new trial (on the penalty) has yet been held. I suspect not. Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 16:48, 10 August 2014 (UTC)


 * I think in cases like this, they remain on death row until they are re-sentenced, at least on paper, even if they aren't in immediate jeopardy of being executed. At least that's what I've seen in other cases where the sentences were overturned. My own personal view on it is that I'd like to keep him and just make a note that he has a new sentencing date pending. After doing so much work putting people on the list, I'd prefer to take those entries and leave them on the page for a little while with some notation that they were recently removed from death row. Either in their own "recently removed" section or with a note in the "notes" box. People might be interested in that info too. Then a couple months they can be removed. Bali88 (talk) 17:55, 10 August 2014 (UTC)


 * By the way, thanks for your help! It's a pretty daunting task, this article, it's great to have some help on it! Bali88 (talk) 18:00, 10 August 2014 (UTC)


 * You're welcome. Well, in terms of his actual prison cell location, I assume that he is in fact kept on the "death row" unit (for security purposes, etc.).  But, legally and technically, he is certainly not under a sentence of death.  I don't mind if we keep him on this page.  More likely than not, he will simply get re-sentenced to a second sentence of death.  But, we would have to wait and see until after the second trial/hearing concludes with a verdict.  We can simply keep him on this page for the time being, but he should have some asterisk or notation indicating his status (i.e., in limbo).  Thanks.   Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 21:32, 10 August 2014 (UTC)

Changes to Maryland Information
One of the death row inmates listed under Maryland actually died this year in prison. His name was John Booth-El. 

Also, today the Governor commuted the sentences of the 4 people who remained on death row after Maryland's death penalty was abolished. 

GorgoneCheckerspot (talk) 17:55, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

Missouri Death Row

 * I am not sure where to find current information, but I do know that the current list for Missouri is inaccurate. Roderick Nunley was executed last year and Glenn Frazier Miller was added to the death row list.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 108.38.29.47 (talk) 19:59, 27 February 2016 (UTC)

Ramiro Gonzales -TEXAS
Hi everyone! As you can see at https://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/death_row/dr_info/gonzalesramiro.html, there is Texas inmate Ramiro Gonzales, too. Unfortunately, he isn't on the Wiki list. Could someone add him? Thanks a lot --SnIoemon (talk) 01:00, 3 November 2016 (UTC)

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Guilt
Guilt 1.6% of death row prisoners since 1972 have been exonerated.

Should noted that included in this number are people that were convicted and sentenced to death before 1972? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:44:1:E237:1D14:B1CC:CDC9:E60E (talk) 19:50, 25 August 2017 (UTC)

There have been over 150 exonerations from Death Row since the reinstatement in 1976, and more all of the time will be coming. Killing people for crimes they did not commit, in the name of Justice, is Not Justice. End Judicial Homicides aka Capital Punishment Now! JSWallace (talk) 15:29, 26 May 2018 (UTC)

Is Paul Durousseau really on death row?
There is conflicting information wheter serial killer Paul Durousseau really is on death row in Florida. The article and this source indicate that he is, but here it says that his death sentence was overturned in 2017. Inter&#38;anthro (talk) 20:12, 31 May 2018 (UTC)

article on Samuel Bustamante
Found an article on one DR inmate in Texas: https://web.archive.org/web/20010310084307/http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/metropolitan/843512 WhisperToMe (talk) 06:40, 11 August 2019 (UTC)

Why was he charged in federal rather than state court?
The article does not explain why Alejandro Umaña was charged with a federal crime rather than having been charged in a state court where the crime was presumably committed.2601:200:C000:1A0:5849:CA77:438C:6678 (talk) 06:07, 16 May 2021 (UTC)

About Skylar Preciosa Deleon
At the time of this writing, one of the death row inmates listed within California's list is Skylar Preciosa Deleon. However, as far as I can tell, Skylar Preciosa Deleon is not (at the time of this writing) listed within the source cited for California's section. Are we sure that Skylar Preciosa Deleon is still on death row in California? Heart of Destruction (talk) 17:10, 15 July 2023 (UTC)


 * She appears as Skylar Maciel, I think she changed her last name too. 38.25.7.100 (talk) 05:47, 24 July 2023 (UTC)

Okay, but, at the time of this writing, I cannot find any mention of her having changed her name to Skylar Maciel within the Murder of Thomas and Jackie Hawks-article. Heart of Destruction (talk) 14:00, 24 July 2023 (UTC)

Tiffany Cole
Today, Tiffany Cole was retried and sentenced to life in prison, but her co-defendants, James Michael Jackson and Alan Wade, still remain on death row.

https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/crime/2023/08/23/verdict-spares-tiffany-cole-death-in-jacksonville-buried-alive-case/70663608007/

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2023/08/23/jury-to-decide-fate-of-woman-convicted-of-helping-kidnap-bury-elderly-jacksonville-couple-alive/ 38.25.7.100 (talk) 00:09, 24 August 2023 (UTC)

Joseph Zieler just sentenced to death in Florida
We should probably add him to the Florida list. My computer just broke down, so can't efficiently do so myself while also adding citations, mobile editor is a pain. https://fdc.myflorida.com/offenderSearch/detail.aspx?Page=Detail&DCNumber=139263&TypeSearch=AI 2600:8800:1F0C:4900:5053:4781:31FD:DC9 (talk) 07:16, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Later found innocent or exonerated
I like the section titled 'Later found innocent or exonerated'.

Could someone add a section titled 'Executed but later found innocent,' please? It think it is an important statistic or estimate so people know we get this wrong on occasion, and we murder innocent people. 96.244.11.84 (talk) 05:55, 28 May 2024 (UTC)