Support for capital punishment has hit a new low in the United States, with a Gallup poll revealing that only 53% of Americans support the death penalty, making this the lowest level of public backing in over 50 years. Notably, opposition among younger adults, specifically those aged 18 to 43, has reached more than half, reflecting a significant generational shift in attitudes toward this severe form of punishment.
Since the beginning of 2025, there have been 10 executions across various states, each raising questions about the methods being employed and the human implications of capital punishment. Among these cases, the execution of Jessie Hoffman in Louisiana stands out. Hoffman was put to death via nitrogen hypoxia after the state faced challenges in obtaining the necessary drugs for lethal injections. Convicted of the brutal rape and murder of 28-year-old Molly Elliott in 1996, Hoffman had contended that the method violated his religious rights, particularly his Buddhist beliefs surrounding meditative breathing.
The controversy surrounding execution methods in the U.S. continues to escalate. Recently, Brad Keith Sigmon was executed by firing squad in South Carolina for killing his ex-girlfriend's parents. Such methods, including executions by nitrogen gas, have drawn significant attention and protest, with critics labeling them as "horrific" and "barbaric." Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, however, defended nitrogen hypoxia, describing it as “textbook, humane and effective.”
The Death Penalty Information Center sheds light on the execution of Jessie Hoffman, emphasizing that nitrogen hypoxia leads to death through suffocation, forcing the individual to breathe pure nitrogen, which deprives the body of oxygen. Although nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of the air we breathe, inhaling it in isolation can be fatal. Critics describe this method as "cruel and inhumane," with Chief District Judge Shelly Dick citing accounts from Alabama executions that describe harrowing suffering—“conscious terror for several minutes, shaking, gasping, and other evidence of distress” observed in inmates.
Judge Dick temporarily halted Hoffman's execution, citing concerns over potential pain and torture in violation of constitutional rights, but this ruling was overturned by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, allowing the controversial execution to proceed.
Among states employing nitrogen gas as a method of execution, Alabama is currently the only one willing to use it, having executed four individuals via this method to date. Meanwhile, only five states—Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah—allow the use of firing squads for executions.
In Florida, the situation presents its unique landscape regarding capital punishment. Here, inmates can choose between execution by electrocution or lethal injection. The state recently carried out the execution of Edward Thomas James, 63, who on March 20 was put to death for the 1993 murders of 58-year-old Elizabeth “Betty” Dick and her 8-year-old granddaughter Toni Neuner, who was also raped. The upcoming execution of Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled for April 8, 2025. Tanzi was convicted for kidnapping and murdering a Miami Herald employee, Janet Acosta, in 2001.
According to Florida Statute §921.141, several factors must be considered before imposing the death penalty. The jury or judge deliberates on issues such as the defendant's prior capital felony convictions, whether the crime posed a high risk of death to multiple individuals, previous violent acts, financial motives, cold-blooded premeditation, and whether the victim was particularly vulnerable.
The state of Florida stands out as a national leader in exonerations from death row, having seen 30 individuals cleared since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. “In 2024, we saw people with credible evidence of innocence set for execution, followed by extraordinary levels of public frustration and outrage,” stated Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. Highlighting the serious implications of wrongful convictions has intensified public discourse around the future of the death penalty in Florida and across the United States.
As of March 2025, a total of 27 states still maintain the death penalty, including notable ones such as California, Texas, and Florida. The debate on whether this form of punishment should continue remains contentious, influenced heavily by ongoing public opinion and legal challenges.
Moving forward, America finds itself at a significant crossroads in the practice of capital punishment. The alarming statistics regarding wrongful convictions, the effectiveness of execution methods, and shifting public sentiment suggest that changes may be on the horizon for how justice is administered in cases that warrant the ultimate penalty.
