Capital punishment in Arkansas

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Capital punishment is legal in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1820, a total of 504 individuals have been executed. According to the Arkansas Department of Correction, as of May 24, 2006, a total of 36 men were under a sentence of death in the state.

1 History
2 Method
3 Capital offenses
4 List of individuals executed since Furman
5 See also
6 References

[edit] History

All but four executions carried out before 1913 were by hanging. Four guerillas were shot on July 29, 1864.

On July 25, 1902 seven men were hanged, the most executions in one day in the state.

Almost all executions were for crimes that involved murder. A number of people were also executed for rape and there was one execution for espionage on January 8, 1864.

In 1913 the method used was changed to the electric chair. The electric chair was constructed from the wood that had previously made up the state gallows. This electric chair would be used for all electrocutions up until 1964. Four more people were hung in the state — one in 1913, two in 1914 and one in 1930.

The last execution in the state before Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972), was that of Charles Fields on January 24, 1964 for rape. New capital punishment laws were passed in Arkansas and came into force on March 23, 1973. The first execution would not come until 18 June 1990 when John Swindler was electrocuted. His was the first and only execution so far on the new electric chair constructed by the state in the 1970s.

According to Michael L. Radelet of the University of Colorado there have been two instances of executions that did not go to plan in Arkansas since Furman. On January 24, 1992 the execution of Ricky Ray Rector was delayed by 50 minutes after the medical staff were unable to find a suitable vein in his arm. The curtain over the witness area was not drawn, and witnesses heard Rector moan loudly eight times. State officials attributed the difficulties to his size and use of antipsychotic medication. The execution of Christina Marie Riggs faced similar delays on May 3, 2000 when staff were unable to locate a vein in her elbow. They eventually found one in her wrist.

[edit] Method

For all people sentenced after July 4, 1983 the method used in the lethal injection. Under state law:

"The punishment of death is to be administered by a continuous intravenous injection of a lethal quantity of an ultra-short-acting barbiturate in combination with a chemical paralytic agent…"

If the person was sentenced before that date, they have the choice of the electric chair or lethal injection.

If the lethal injection is ever ruled unconstitutional, the electric chair can be used for all death sentences.

Clemency rests with the governor of Arkansas, who receives a non-binding report from the Arkansas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Executions in Arkansas are currently performed at the Varner Unit.

[edit] Capital offenses

murder while committing or attempting to commit arson, terrorism, rape, kidnapping, carjacking, robbery, burglary, a felony violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, involving an actual delivery of a controlled substance, or first degree escape
premeditated murder of an on-duty law enforcement officer, jailer, prison official, firefighter, judge or other court official, probation officer, parole officer, any military personnel, or teacher or school employee
premeditated murder
premeditated murder of any holder of any public office or candidate for public office
premeditated murder while in prison
contract killing
murder of a person under the age of 14 by a person over the age of 18
Death resulting from discharging a firearm at a vehicle, conveyance, or a residential or commercial occupiable structure that is knowingly occupied
Treason (defined solely as levying war against the state or adhering to its enemies, giving them aid and comfort)

[edit] List of individuals executed since Furman

All of the following individuals have been executed for murder since the Furman decision. All but John Swindler were executed by lethal injection. Swindler's execution was on the electric chair.

	Executed person	Date of execution	Victim(s)
1	John Edward Swindler*	18 June 1990	Randy Basnett on September 24,1976
2	Ronald Gene Simmons	25 June 1990	Rebecca Simmons, Gene Simmons, Barbara Simmons, Loretta Simmons, Eddy Simmons, Marianne Simmons, Becky Simmons, Renata Simmons, Trae Simmons, Sheila McNulty, Dennis McNulty, Michael McNulty, Sylvia Simmons, Kathy Kendrick, and James D. Chaffin.
3	Ricky Ray Rector	24 January 1992	Robert Martin.
4	Steven Hill	7 May 1992	Robert Klein.
5	Edward Charles Pickens	11 May 1994	Wesley Noble.
6	Jonas Whitmore	11 May 1994	Essie Mae Black.
7	Hoyt Franklin Clines	3 August 1994	Don Lehman.
8	Darryl Richley	3 August 1994	Don Lehman.
9	James William Holmes	3 August 1994	Don Lehman.
10	Richard Wayne Snell	19 April 1995	William Stumpp.
11	Barry Lee Fairchild	31 August 1995	Marjorie Mason.
12	Frank Parker	8 August 1996	James Warren and Sandra Warren.
13	Paul Ruiz	8 January 1997	Marvin Richie and Opal James.
14	Earl Von Denton	8 January 1997	Marvin Richie and Opal James.
15	Kirt Wainwright	8 January 1997	Barbara Smith.
16	Billy Wayne Waldrop	10 January 1997	Thurman Donahoo.
17	Wilburn A. Henderson	8 July 1998	Willa Dean O'Neal.
18	Johnie Michael Cox	16 February 1999	Marie Sullens, Margaret Brown, and Billy Brown.
19	Marion Pruett	12 April 1999	Bobbie Jean Robertson.
20	Mark Gardner	8 September 1999	Joe Joyce, Martha Joyce, and Sara McCurdy.
21	Alan Willett	8 September 1999	Eric Willett and Roger Willett.
22	Christina Marie Riggs	2 May 2000	Justin Riggs and Shelby Alexis Rggs.
23	David Dewayne Johnson	19 December 2000	Leon Brown.
24	Clay King Smith	8 May 2001	Misty Erwin, Shelley Sorg, Sean Sorg, Taylor Sorg, and Samantha Rhodes.
25	Riley Dobi Noel	9 July 2003	Marcell Young, Malak Hussian, and Mustafa Hussian.
26	Charles Laverne Singleton	6 January 2004	Mary Lou York.
27	Eric Randall Nance	28 November 2005	Julie Heath