President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on September 25 directing federal prosecutors to enforce the death penalty in Washington, D.C., overriding the district’s 1981 repeal of capital punishment. Critics warn this move undermines Washington’s self-governance and rails against local law. Trump calls it a necessary response to escalating violent crime.
The death penalty in the US dates all the way back to the 1600s. Executions consisted of public hangings, but both the location and method of execution have changed over the years.
The death penalty remains a controversial and divisive topic. In this gallery, we focus on the historical context of each state and the resulting relationship with capital punishment. Click on to find out which states still have the death penalty.