{"id":372703,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-capital-punishment-laws.html"},"modified":"2024-12-05T16:43:58","modified_gmt":"2024-12-05T21:43:58","slug":"georgia-capital-punishment-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/georgia-law\/georgia-capital-punishment-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Georgia Capital Punishment Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Georgia Capital Punishment Laws<\/h1>\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, 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

Although some states have abolished the death penalty<\/a>, Georgia and most other states continue to use capital punishment to sentence defendants who commit the most serious crimes.<\/p>\r\n

Georgia has executed over a thousand people since it implemented the death penalty. More than 75 of these executions have taken place since 1983. Georgia ranks fifth in the nation when it comes to the number of statewide executions. As of July 2024, there were 77 death row inmates in Georgia<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

If you’re involved in a death penalty case, you should know how Georgia’s capital punishment laws work. Here, we’ll offer a brief history of the death penalty<\/a> in Georgia. We’ll also discuss which crimes carry a potential death penalty sentence. We will break down Georgia’s death penalty statute in plain English.<\/p>\r\n

Which Defendants Are Subject to the Death Penalty in Georgia?<\/h2>\r\n

Georgia law allows capital punishment in cases involving defendants who are at least 17 years old who commit certain homicides.<\/p>\r\n

Some of the crimes that may result in a death sentence include the following:<\/p>\r\n