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1700 BCE
Code of Hammurabi Mentions Death Penalty for the First Time
Document from the ancient Babylons contained the first known death penalty laws. There were 25 crimes that were punishable by death. -
First Recorded Execution in American Colonies
A colonist from Virginia was to be executed for killing chickens and trading with Indians. Captain George Kendall was hanged as capital offence of treason. -
Death Penalty in All 13 Colonies, Beginning of Revalution
During the American Revolution, all colonies had the death penalty and most colonies had at least 10 crimes punishable(except Rhode Island, having less than 10 at the time). -
US Congress Establishes Federal Death Penalty
Congress adopted the Punishments Crimes Act(first list of crimes and punishments). The fourth paragraph of this act allowed judges to execute murderers. -
First National Death Penalty Abolition Society
The very first Death Penalty Abortion Society was founded. -
14th Amendment Ratified the Challenged Death Penalty
The 14th Amendment was ratified during the Civil War and was cited in the supreme court case in Furman v. Georgia ruling the death penalty unconstitutional. -
New York Holds First Execution with Electricity
New York State uses the "electric chair" for the execution of William Kemmler. Death by electrocution was the more humane way to have execute and was later on the preferred method of execution. -
First Gas Chamber Execution
The first US execution by a gas chamber was carried out in Carson City, Nevada. The man sentenced to execution was Gee Jon and was part of a Chinese gang convicted of murder of a rival gang member. -
Supreme Court Rules Capital Punishment Unconstitutional
During the Furman v. Georgia case, the supreme court rules 5-4 that the death penalty violated the 8th and 14th amendment. After this ruling, the supreme court overturns more than 600 death sentences. -
First Lethal Injection In Texas
Medical examiner, Jay Chapman, proposed that the death row can be executed using only three drugs in a specific sequence. The three drugs were barbiturate(anesthetize inmates), pancuronium bromide(paralyze and stop breathing) and potassium chloride (stopping the heart). -
Mentally Retarded Offenders Execution Ruled Unconstitutional
There is evidence that today's society views mentally retarded offenders as less guilty, there was a 6-3 majority. -
Capital Punishment Ruled Unconstitutional for Offenders Under 18
In the case Roper Simmons decided that it was unconstitutional to put a person under the age of 18 to be sentenced to death claiming that it went against the 8th amendment being "cruel and unusual punishment."
