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List of people executed in the United States in 1997

Seventy-four people, all male, were executed in the United States in 1997, sixty-eight by lethal injection, and six by electrocution.[1] Colorado conducted its last execution that same year before the state officially abolished capital punishment in 2020.[2] Oregon conducted its last execution that same year before the state suspended the use of capital punishment, with then Governor Kate Brown commuting the death sentences of 17 inmates to life without parole and thus emptying the state's death row before the end of her term in 2022.[3]

List of people executed in the United States in 1997

[edit]
No. Date of execution Name Age of person Gender Ethnicity State Method Ref.
At execution At offense Age difference
1 January 8, 1997 Earl Van Denton 47 28 19 Male White Arkansas Lethal injection [4]
2 Paul Ruiz 49 29 20 Hispanic [4]
3 Kirt Douglas Wainwright 30 22 8 Black [5]
4 January 10, 1997 Billy Wayne Waldrop 44 30 14 White Alabama Electrocution [6]
5 January 23, 1997 Randall Greenawalt 47 29 18 Arizona Lethal injection [7]
6 January 29, 1997 Eric Adam Schneider 35 23 12 Missouri [8]
7 February 6, 1997 Michael Carl George 39 33 6 Virginia [9]
8 February 10, 1997 Richard Lewis Brimage Jr. 41 31 10 Texas [10]
9 February 26, 1997 Coleman Wayne Gray 38 27 11 Black Virginia [11]
10 March 12, 1997 John Kennedy Barefield 32 22 10 Texas [12]
11 March 25, 1997 Pedro Luis Medina 39 24 15 Hispanic Florida Electrocution [13]
12 April 2, 1997 David Lee Herman 32 7 White Texas Lethal injection [14]
13 April 3, 1997 David Wayne Spence 40 25 15 [15]
14 April 14, 1997 Billy Joe Woods 50 28 22 [16]
15 April 16, 1997 Kenneth Edward Gentry 36 22 14 [17]
16 April 21, 1997 Benjamin Herbert Boyle 53 42 11 [18]
17 April 24, 1997 John Ashley Brown Jr. 35 23 12 Louisiana [19]
18 April 29, 1997 Ernest Orville Baldree 55 44 11 Texas [20]
19 May 2, 1997 Walter Hill 62 41 21 Black Alabama Electrocution [21]
20 May 6, 1997 Terry Washington 33 23 10 Texas Lethal injection [22]
21 May 8, 1997 Scott Dawn Carpenter 22 19 3 White Oklahoma [23]
22 May 13, 1997 Anthony Ray Westley 36 23 13 Black Texas [24]
23 May 16, 1997 Harry Charles Moore 56 51 5 White Oregon [25]
24 Clifton Eugene Belyeu 38 27 11 Texas [26]
25 May 19, 1997 Richard Gerry Drinkard 39 28 [27]
26 May 20, 1997 Clarence Allen Lackey 42 22 20 [28]
27 May 21, 1997 Bruce Edwin Callins 37 20 17 Black [29]
28 May 22, 1997 Larry Wayne White 47 26 21 White [30]
29 May 28, 1997 Robert Anthony Madden 33 22 11 [31]
30 June 2, 1997 Patrick Fitzgerald Rogers 21 12 Black [32]
31 June 3, 1997 Kenneth Bernard Harris 34 23 11 [33]
32 June 4, 1997 Dorsie Lee Johnson Jr. 30 19 [34]
33 Davis Losada 32 13 Hispanic [35]
34 June 6, 1997 Henry Francis Hays 42 26 16 White Alabama Electrocution [36]
35 June 11, 1997 Earl Russell Behringer 33 22 11 Texas Lethal injection [37]
36 June 13, 1997 Michael Eugene Elkins 41 35 6 South Carolina [38]
37 June 16, 1997 David Wayne Stoker 38 27 11 Texas [39]
38 June 17, 1997 Eddie James Johnson 44 35 9 Black [40]
39 June 18, 1997 Irineo Tristan Montoya 30 18 12 Hispanic [41]
40 June 25, 1997 William Lyle Woratzeck 51 34 17 White Arizona [42]
41 July 1, 1997 Harold I. McQueen Jr. 44 27 Kentucky Electrocution [43]
42 July 2, 1997 Flint Gregory Hunt 38 26 12 Black Maryland Lethal injection [44]
43 July 17, 1997 Roy Bruce Smith 50 41 9 White Virginia [45]
44 July 23, 1997 Joseph Roger O'Dell III 54 13 [46]
45 July 29, 1997 Robert Wallace West Jr. 35 20 15 Native American Texas [47]
46 August 6, 1997 Ralph Cecil Feltrop 42 32 10 White Missouri [48]
47 Eugene Wallace Perry 53 36 17 Arkansas [49]
48 August 13, 1997 Donald Edward Reese 54 43 11 Missouri [50]
49 August 19, 1997 Carlton Jerome Pope 35 23 12 Black Virginia [51]
50 August 20, 1997 Andrew Wessel Six 32 21 11 White Missouri [52]
51 September 9, 1997 James Carl Lee Davis 34 13 Black Texas [53]
52 September 17, 1997 Mario Benjamin Murphy 25 19 6 Hispanic Virginia [54]
53 September 22, 1997 Jessel Turner 37 25 12 Black Texas [55]
54 September 24, 1997 Samuel Lee McDonald Jr. 48 32 16 Missouri [56]
55 September 25, 1997 Benjamin C. Stone 45 43 2 White Texas [57]
56 September 30, 1997 John William Cockrum 38 27 11 [58]
57 October 1, 1997 Dwight Dwayne Adanandus 41 31 10 Black [59]
58 October 8, 1997 Ricky Lee Green 36 24 12 White [60]
59 October 13, 1997 Gary Lee Davis 53 41 Colorado [61]
60 October 22, 1997 Alan Jeffrey Bannister 39 24 15 Missouri [62]
61 October 28, 1997 Kenneth Ray Ransom 34 20 14 Black Texas [63]
62 November 4, 1997 Aua Lauti 43 31 12 Pacific Islander [64]
63 November 6, 1997 Aaron Lee Fuller 30 21 9 White [65]
64 November 7, 1997 Earl Matthews Jr. 32 19 13 Black South Carolina [66]
65 November 13, 1997 Dawud Majid Mu'Min 44 35 9 Virginia [67]
66 November 19, 1997 Walter Stewart 41 23 18 Illinois [68]
67 Durlyn Eddmonds 45 25 20 [69]
68 Michael Eugene Sharp 43 28 15 White Texas [70]
69 November 20, 1997 Gary Burris 40 23 17 Black Indiana [71]
70 November 21, 1997 Charlie Livingston 35 21 14 Texas [72]
71 December 2, 1997 Robert Edward Williams 61 40 21 Nebraska Electrocution [73]
72 December 9, 1997 Michael Lee Lockhart 37 27 10 White Texas Lethal injection [74]
73 Michael Charles Satcher 29 21 8 Black Virginia [75]
74 December 11, 1997 Thomas Howard Beavers Jr. 26 18 White [76]
Average: 40 years 28 years 13 years

Demographics

[edit]
Gender
Male 74 100%
Female 0 0%
Ethnicity
White 41 55%
Black 26 35%
Hispanic 5 7%
Native American 1 1%
Pacific Islander 1 1%
State
Texas 37 50%
Virginia 9 12%
Missouri 6 8%
Arkansas 4 5%
Alabama 3 4%
Arizona 2 3%
Illinois 2 3%
South Carolina 2 3%
Colorado 1 1%
Florida 1 1%
Indiana 1 1%
Kentucky 1 1%
Louisiana 1 1%
Maryland 1 1%
Nebraska 1 1%
Oklahoma 1 1%
Oregon 1 1%
Method
Lethal injection 68 92%
Electrocution 6 8%
Month
January 6 8%
February 3 4%
March 2 3%
April 7 9%
May 11 15%
June 11 15%
July 5 7%
August 5 7%
September 6 8%
October 5 7%
November 9 12%
December 4 5%
Age
20–29 4 5%
30–39 36 49%
40–49 22 30%
50–59 10 14%
60–69 2 3%
Total 74 100%

Executions in recent years

[edit]
Number of executions
1998 68
1997 74
1996 45
Total 187

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  2. ^ "Colorado abolishes the death penalty". NBC News. March 23, 2020.
  3. ^ "Oregon governor commutes sentences of everyone on death row in state". The Guardian. December 13, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Natural State History: Duo executed in 1997 for killing marshal, park ranger". KNWA. May 12, 2015.
  5. ^ "ARKANSAS EXECUTES 3 KILLERS IN 1 NIGHT". Associated Press. January 9, 1997.
  6. ^ "Billy Wayne Waldrop Executed by Electric Chair". Democracy Now!. January 10, 1997.
  7. ^ "Arizona Inmate Is Executed for 4 Killings". The New York Times. January 24, 1997.
  8. ^ "MISSOURIAN BLOWS KISSES BEFORE HIS EXECUTION". Deseret News. January 29, 1997.
  9. ^ "VIRGINIA EXECUTES MAN WHO TORTURED, KILLED TEEN". Orlando Sentinel. February 7, 1997.
  10. ^ "Rapist and Murderer Is Executed in Texas". The New York Times. February 11, 1997.
  11. ^ "COLEMAN GRAY PUT TO DEATH BY INJECTION". The Virginian-Pilot. February 27, 1997.
  12. ^ "Texas Executes Killer Of College Student". The New York Times. March 14, 1997.
  13. ^ "FLAMES SHOOT FROM CONVICT AT EXECUTION". The Washington Post. March 25, 1997.
  14. ^ "Texas Executes Killer Who Tried Suicide". The New York Times. April 3, 1997.
  15. ^ "Texas Executes Man In Killing of Youths". The New York Times. April 4, 1997.
  16. ^ "After 21-Year Wait, Texas Executes Man". The New York Times. April 15, 1997.
  17. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  18. ^ "This Little-Known Serial Killer Was Busted in Amarillo". Kiss FM 96.9. August 18, 2022.
  19. ^ "Aerospace engineer's killer is put to death by injection". Deseret News. April 24, 1997.
  20. ^ "Inmate executed for killing couple who tried to help him". Deseret News. April 30, 1997.
  21. ^ "Five-time killer executed for triple slaying in 1977". The Selma Times-Journal. May 4, 1997.
  22. ^ "Retarded Man Executed For Manager's Murder". The New York Times. May 7, 1997.
  23. ^ "Scott Dawn Carpenter, 22, Executed in Oklahoma". Democracy Now!. May 8, 1997.
  24. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  25. ^ "Oregon Executes a Killer". The New York Times. May 17, 1997.
  26. ^ "Texas Executes Inmate For a 1985 Murder". The New York Times. May 18, 1997.
  27. ^ "As Texas Executions Mount, They Grow Routine". The New York Times. May 25, 1997.
  28. ^ "TEXAS EXECUTES SECOND INMATE THIS WEEK". The Washington Post. May 21, 1997.
  29. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  30. ^ "UPI Focus: Texas executes fourth in as many days". UPI. May 22, 1997.
  31. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  32. ^ "Texas Executes Killer, Plans a Record 11 for Month". Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1997.
  33. ^ "Rapist-strangler expresses sorrow, then is executed". Deseret News. June 4, 1997.
  34. ^ "Two More Executions Tie Record for Texas". Los Angeles Times. June 5, 1997.
  35. ^ "UPI Focus: Texas completes double execution". UPI. June 4, 1997.
  36. ^ "Klan Member Put to Death In Race Death". The New York Times. June 6, 1997.
  37. ^ "TEXAS EXECUTES KILLER OF PAIR ON LOVERS LANE". Chicago Tribune. June 12, 1997.
  38. ^ "South Carolina to execute 12th inmate". UPI. June 12, 1997.
  39. ^ "Texas Executes Inmate In Murder of Store Clerk". The New York Times. June 17, 1997.
  40. ^ "Inmate Is Executed For a Triple Murder". The New York Times. June 18, 1997.
  41. ^ "Mexico Reacts Bitterly to Execution of One of Its Citizens in Texas". The New York Times. June 20, 1997.
  42. ^ "Man executed for strangling mentally impaired woman". Deseret News. June 25, 1997.
  43. ^ "Ky. inmate executed". UPI. July 1, 1997.
  44. ^ "PRISONER WHO KILLED BALTIMORE OFFICER IS EXECUTED". The Washington Post. July 3, 1997.
  45. ^ "VIRGINIA EXECUTES KILLER OF MANASSAS POLICE OFFICER". The Washington Post. July 17, 1997.
  46. ^ "Convicted Killer O'Dell Is Married, Then Executed". Los Angeles Times. July 24, 1997.
  47. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  48. ^ "Missouri Executes Killer Who Cut Up a Woman". The New York Times. August 7, 1997.
  49. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  50. ^ "Condemned Man's Last Hours Crawl in Cycles of Hope, Despair". Los Angeles Times. October 5, 1997.
  51. ^ "Virginia Executes Man Who Killed and Robbed". The New York Times. August 20, 1997.
  52. ^ "Witness to an Execution Finds Retribution but Little Relief". Los Angeles Times. October 26, 1997.
  53. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  54. ^ "Mexican Murderer Gets Lethal Injection". Los Angeles Times. September 18, 1997.
  55. ^ "Cabbie's killer apologizes before execution in Texas". Deseret News. September 23, 1997.
  56. ^ "My friend's execution". The Christian Century. November 11, 1998.
  57. ^ "Texas executes 28th person this year". UPI. September 25, 1997.
  58. ^ "Texas woman's killer gets his wish: lethal injection". Deseret News. October 1, 1997.
  59. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  60. ^ "National News Briefs; Convicted Serial Killer Is Executed in Texas". The New York Times. October 9, 1997.
  61. ^ "In 1997, Colorado's first execution in 30 years marked a watershed moment. But did it change the conversation about capital punishment?". The Colorado Sun. March 4, 2019.
  62. ^ "Missouri inmate, subject of documentary, is executed". Deseret News. October 22, 1997.
  63. ^ "Mother collapses, screams as Texas executes her son". Deseret News. October 29, 1997.
  64. ^ "Man Executed for Murdering Cousin". Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997.
  65. ^ "Man Is Executed for '89 Robbery-Murder". Los Angeles Times. November 7, 1997.
  66. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  67. ^ "MAN EXECUTED BY VIRGINIA FOR 1988 DALE CITY SLAYING". The Washington Post. November 14, 1997.
  68. ^ "2 killers are put to death on the same night in Illinois". Deseret News. November 19, 1997.
  69. ^ "2 killers are put to death on the same night in Illinois". Deseret News. November 19, 1997.
  70. ^ "A convicted killer's last words". ZDNet. November 20, 1997.
  71. ^ "Execution List 1997". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  72. ^ "UPI Focus: Texas executes 36th inmate of year". UPI. November 21, 1997.
  73. ^ "Williams marks state's third electrocution". The Daily Nebraskan. June 16, 2006.
  74. ^ "30 years ago: The serial killer trial that shocked San Antonio". mySA. March 22, 2018.
  75. ^ "Virginia Executed Bike Path Killer". The Washington Post. December 10, 1997.
  76. ^ Barisic, Sonja (December 12, 1997). "Virginia executes man who raped, killed widow". The News Virginian. p. 15. Retrieved June 9, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Preceded by
1996 		   List of people executed   
   in the United States in   
1997 		Succeeded by
1998