United States Executions Hit 13-year Low in 2007

WASHINGTON — The number of executions carried out in the United States in 2007 fell to its lowest point since 1994, according to the annual report by the Death Penalty Information Center.

The 13-year low of 42 executions during 2007 also represents a decline of more than 50 percent from the 98 executions in 1999 — the high-water mark in the modern era of capital punishment.

Only 10 states executed inmates in 2007, with Texas accounting for 26 of the 42 executions, according to the Washington-based nonprofit. Several states with large death row populations, including California, Florida and Pennsylvania, did not carry out any executions during 2007. New Jersey abolished capital punishment.

The report also revealed that the number of death sentences handed out by courts throughout the United States during 2007 declined 4 percent from 2006 to 110 — 60 percent less than the 276 death sentences issued during 1999.

Litigation over lethal injection — the prevailing mode of execution in the United States — played a significant role in reducing the number of executions, according to the report. More than 40 inmates were granted stays of execution in the wake of lethal injection challenges during 2007.