Changes

=== United States ===

=== United States ===

[[File:Death penalty in the United States.svg.png|thumb|red: States with the death penalty<br/>turqoise: States without the death penalty]]

[[File:Death penalty in the United States.svg.png|thumb|red: States with the death penalty<br/>turqoise: States without the death penalty]]

The federal government (both in the civilian sector and the military) authorize capital punishment for the most heinous crimes, including treason. The last Federal execution was that of [[Timothy McVeigh]], ringleader of the [[Oklahoma City bombing]].

The federal government (both in the civilian sector and the military) authorize capital punishment for the most heinous crimes, including treason.

At the state level, 17 states and the [[District of Columbia]] prohibit the death penalty.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2113102,00.html</ref>  In the ''Furman'' case, the Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1973 (and all inmates had their sentences automatically commuted to life in prison), but in 1977 (after intervening changes in state laws) once again allowed it in the ''Gregg'' series of cases.<ref>One of the companion cases to ''Gregg'' involved a Texas inmate.  After ''Furman'', Texas dramatically changed its laws to limit by statute what murders would qualify for the death penalty; the Supreme Court noted that Texas' statutory scheme would make the death penalty "an available sentencing option -- even potentially -- for a smaller class of murders in the state", somewhat ironic given that in the intervening years Texas has far and away carried out more executions than any other state.</ref>

At the state level, 17 states and the [[District of Columbia]] prohibit the death penalty.<ref>http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2113102,00.html</ref>  In the ''Furman'' case, the Supreme Court outlawed the death penalty in 1973 (and all inmates had their sentences automatically commuted to life in prison), but in 1977 (after intervening changes in state laws) once again allowed it in the ''Gregg'' series of cases.<ref>One of the companion cases to ''Gregg'' involved a Texas inmate.  After ''Furman'', Texas dramatically changed its laws to limit by statute what murders would qualify for the death penalty; the Supreme Court noted that Texas' statutory scheme would make the death penalty "an available sentencing option -- even potentially -- for a smaller class of murders in the state", somewhat ironic given that in the intervening years Texas has far and away carried out more executions than any other state.</ref>