Capital Punishment
Tony Von Carruthers v. State of Tennessee
On May 21, 2026, Tennessee carried out a botched and torturous attempt to execute Tony Carruthers despite the state’s continued refusal to conduct forensic testing that could prove he was wrongfully convicted. After nearly 90 minutes, the execution was halted by a one-year reprieve from Governor Bill Lee. Mr. Carruthers remains at risk of another execution attempt, and the state continues to deny fingerprint and DNA testing.
Status: Ongoing
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64 Capital Punishment Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2022
Capital Punishment
United States v. Tsarnaev
Whether the district court committed reversible error in excluding mitigating evidence that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s older brother had previously committed three brutal murders in the name of jihad, where the defense’s central mitigation theory was that he had acted under his brother’s influence and had a lesser role in the offense.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Mar 2022
Capital Punishment
United States v. Tsarnaev
Whether the district court committed reversible error in excluding mitigating evidence that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s older brother had previously committed three brutal murders in the name of jihad, where the defense’s central mitigation theory was that he had acted under his brother’s influence and had a lesser role in the offense.
U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2019
Capital Punishment
McKinney v. Arizona
Mr. James Erin McKinney was sentenced to death by a judge who failed to consider significant mitigating evidence concerning Mr. McKinney’s PTSD.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Sep 2019
Capital Punishment
McKinney v. Arizona
Mr. James Erin McKinney was sentenced to death by a judge who failed to consider significant mitigating evidence concerning Mr. McKinney’s PTSD.
U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
Capital Punishment
Racial Justice
Smith v. California 18-7094
Whether the Supreme Court should grant certiorari to prevent courts from allowing prosecutors to use prospective jurors’ opinions about the O.J. Simpson trial or other potential racial proxies as “race-neutral” explanations for striking black jurors without further inquiry.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
Capital Punishment
Racial Justice
Smith v. California 18-7094
Whether the Supreme Court should grant certiorari to prevent courts from allowing prosecutors to use prospective jurors’ opinions about the O.J. Simpson trial or other potential racial proxies as “race-neutral” explanations for striking black jurors without further inquiry.
U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
Capital Punishment
Bucklew v. Precythe, 17-8151
Whether the execution of Russell Bucklew by lethal injection would violate the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment because he suffers from a rare medical condition that would cause him to choke on his own blood and suffocate for four minutes before dying.
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
Capital Punishment
Bucklew v. Precythe, 17-8151
Whether the execution of Russell Bucklew by lethal injection would violate the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment because he suffers from a rare medical condition that would cause him to choke on his own blood and suffocate for four minutes before dying.
U.S. Supreme Court
Oct 2017
Capital Punishment
Ayestas v. Davis
What showing does a federal habeas petitioner needs to make to obtain funding to develop evidence?
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U.S. Supreme Court
Oct 2017
Capital Punishment
Ayestas v. Davis
What showing does a federal habeas petitioner needs to make to obtain funding to develop evidence?