{"id":371398,"date":"2016-03-31T21:34:19","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/alaska-law\/alaska-capital-punishment-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-10-08T09:44:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-08T14:44:51","slug":"alaska-capital-punishment-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/alaska-law\/alaska-capital-punishment-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Alaska Capital Punishment Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Alaska Capital Punishment Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Olivia Wathne, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Capital punishment \u2014 or the "death penalty" \u2014 is for those convicted of first-degree murder<\/a>, particularly where there is a lack of remorse or a pattern of cruelty. But those who murder the commission of another felony (even if accidentally) also may get sentenced to death. Lethal injection is the most common method for executions, but some give the option to choose hanging electric chair, or other methods.<\/p>\r\n

Alaska does not enforce the death penalty, but it\u2019s helpful to understand its history with capital punishment and where it stands on the death penalty now.<\/p>\r\n

History of the Death Penalty in Alaska<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Alaska\u2019s history with the death penalty highlights a significant shift in legal practices. Capital punishment was part of the legal system when Alaska was a U.S. territory, but the territorial legislature abolished it in 1957<\/a>, two years before Alaska became a state. Since then, the state has not had a functioning death row or carried out any executions. <\/p>\r\n

Alaska Capital Punishment Laws at a Glance<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Capital punishment is not allowed in Alaska.<\/p>\r\n

See FindLaw’s Death Penalty<\/a> section for more articles and resources.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Code section<\/th>\r\nAlaska Statute 12.55.125<\/a> (Life imprisonment statute)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>
Is capital punishment allowed?<\/th>\r\n

Not authorized (abolished in 1957)<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\r\n

Note:<\/b> State laws are subject to change at any time through the decisions of higher courts, the enactment of newly signed legislation, and other limited means. While we strive to ensure the accuracy of these pages, you also may want to contact an <\/i>Alaska criminal defense attorney<\/i><\/a> or conduct your own legal research to verify the state laws you are researching.<\/i><\/p>\r\n

Capital Punishment in America<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Capital punishment has had a long and twisted path in the United States, from regular hangings during Colonial times to an increase in statewide moratoriums in the late 20th century. The last time the federal government banned capital punishment (nationwide) was in 1972 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Georgia’s death penalty statute was too arbitrary<\/a>. But four years later, the Court reinstated capital punishment (Gregg v. Georgia<\/i><\/a>), providing a legal benchmark for states wishing to reinstate it.<\/p>\r\n

A majority of states embraced (and legalized) state-sponsored executions after 1976, but many states have banned them. See the table below to learn which states have retained the death penalty and which states have banned it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
States with the death penalty<\/th>\r\n

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wyoming<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

States without the death penalty<\/th>\r\n

Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

States with a hold on executions<\/th>\r\n

California, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Arizona, Ohio, Tennessee<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\r\n

Get Legal Advice From an Alaska Criminal Defense Attorney<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Although Alaska does not have the death penalty, facing a serious criminal charge could still result in life imprisonment without parole. If you face such a situation, seeking legal advice from an experienced Alaska criminal defense attorney is important<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n