Executions in the U.S. Trivia Quiz

Answer: fifty

Of those executed, eight women were hanged, seven died in the gas chamber, nine received lethal injections, and 26 were electrocuted.

Answer: Oklahoma

Oklahoma became the first in 1977. Five years later the first execution by lethal injection took place in Texas, when Charles Brooks was put to death on December 7, 1982.

Lethal injection is used by 37 of the 38 states that have the death penalty.

The executions are performed by attendants or technicians. Medical ethics precludes doctors from participating in executions. However, a doctor sometimes will certify the inmate as dead.

Answer: three

Under normal procedures, an automated cycle of three shocks are administered to the inmate. When the cycle is started, the first shock delivers 2300 volts of electric current for eight seconds. The second shock delivers 1000 volts of current for twenty-two seconds. The third shock delivers another 2300 volts of electric current for eight seconds.
If the convict is not pronounced dead following the completion of the cycle, the entire cycle is repeated.

Answer: thirty minutes

Thirty minutes is required to neutralize and remove the lethal gas from the sealed chamber, after the convict has been pronounced dead. Death occurs within 6 to 18 minutes.
The primary objection to the use of lethal gas as a means of execution is the apparent agony the prisoner experience, and the amount of time it takes before the convict is assumed dead based on monitoring equipment.

Answer: 2

The states of New Hampshire, and Washington use hanging as an alternative form of execution. In those states, the condemned prisoner may choose hanging instead of the state's primary form of execution.

Answer: Nebraska

Nebraska was the only state that provided for electrocution as the sole means of execution. This ceased in May 2008 when electrocution ceased and lethal injection was adopted as the sole method of execution.

Answer: 1972

In 1972, the Supreme Court banned the practice of executions.
In 1976, the Supreme Court authorized the resumption of executions and allowed each state to decide whether or not to have a death penalty. The District of Columbia and twelve states chose not to have a death penalty. The states without death penalties were Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Five jurisdictions that have the death penalty have not performed any executions since 1976. Those states are Kansas, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, along with the U.S. Military.

Answer: 1099

Of those executed, 929 (85%) were by lethal injection, which includes 440 of the last 444 executions. 153 convicts have faced the electric chair, 11 were executed in the gas chamber, 3 were hanged, and 2 were executed by a firing squad.

Answer: 4

After the reinstitution of the death penalty by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, and through October 1, 2007, no executions have occurred in New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Kansas.
Also during that period, no executions have occurred in the U.S. Military.

Answer: Texas

Texas has been the leader with 405 executions performed during this period. Texas accounts for 37% of all executions in the Nation. Second on the list is Virginia, where 98 executions have been carried out.