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death penalty
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- 1Army prepares for executions if Trump approvesโผArmy lays groundwork for death row executions if Trump gives approval
The US Army has laid the groundwork to carry out death row executions, which could proceed if President Trump gives approval. The military has six men on death row at Fort Leavenworth, and no executions have taken place there since 1961. ABC News reported the preparations, drawing attention to the possibility of the first federal-era military executions in decades under Trump's pro-death penalty stance.
- 2Iran quietly executed Iraqis for espionage, rights group saysโRights group: Iran executes Iraqis on espionage charges without official announcement
A rights group says Iran has executed Iraqi nationals convicted of espionage for Israel, without any official announcement of the executions. The report is drawing attention to Iran's treatment of foreign prisoners on espionage charges and to the lack of transparency around death penalty cases in the country. It may also strain ties between Tehran and Baghdad.
- 3Texas appeals court rejects innocence ruling for woman on death rowโผTexas appeals court rejects ruling of innocence for woman on death row for 18 years
A Texas appeals court has rejected a ruling that a woman who has spent 18 years on death row is innocent. The decision keeps her conviction and death sentence in place despite earlier findings raising doubts about her guilt. The case has drawn attention to longstanding concerns about wrongful convictions and the fairness of capital punishment in Texas.
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A federal memo under discussion would exempt accidental killings of protected animals from the Endangered Species Act, meaning incidental deaths could no longer trigger penalties or enforcement. Conservation advocates worry the change would weaken protections for species at risk, since companies and individuals could plausibly claim unintentional harm.
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Two Singaporean television actors have been charged in connection with protests against the death penalty in Singapore. The charges relate to demonstrations calling for an end to capital punishment, a deeply contested issue in the city-state, where the death penalty remains in force for drug trafficking and murder. Details of the actors' identities and the specific charges have not been widely reported yet, but the case is drawing attention to restrictions on protest activity in Singapore.
- 6Tennessee Woman Christa Pike Awaits Scheduled ExecutionโAfter a Life in Isolation, a Tennessee Woman Waits for Her Execution https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/28/us/christa-pike-
The New York Times reports on Christa Pike, the only woman on death row in Tennessee, as she waits for her execution after decades spent largely in isolation. The piece examines her case, her upbringing and long confinement on death row, and how her coming execution has renewed debate over capital punishment in the state.
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A jury has recommended against mercy for a man convicted of murdering an infant, meaning he is likely to face the death penalty or life without parole when the judge imposes the final sentence. The case concerns the killing of a baby, and sentencing now moves to the court. Details about the defendant, the location, and the timeline of the crime and trial were not provided.
- 8Ex-boyfriend charged with capital murder in Athens woman's deathโผEx-boyfriend charged with capital murder in death of Athens woman
An ex-boyfriend has been charged with capital murder in connection with the death of a woman in Athens, Alabama. Local news outlet RocketCityNow reported the charge, which is among the most serious under Alabama law and can carry the death penalty. Few further details about the circumstances of the death or the suspect's arrest have been released.
- 921-year-old arrested on capital murder charge in Wichita shootingโ21-year-old man arrested in Wichita on capital murder charge for deadly shooting
Police in Wichita, Kansas have arrested a 21-year-old man on a capital murder charge in connection with a deadly shooting. Authorities have not released extensive details about the victim or the circumstances of the killing, and the case now moves through the courts as prosecutors consider whether to pursue the death penalty. Local residents have expressed concern about gun violence in the area.