Key facts
- Three men, Anthony Darrell Hines, Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez, and Jeremy Williams, are scheduled for execution on the same day.
- This is the first time since 2009 that three individuals will be executed on the same day in the US.
- The executions are scheduled to take place in Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Alabama.
- The number of executions in the US has significantly increased, with 2025 seeing more than four times the number of executions compared to 2021.
- Florida accounts for approximately 40% of the total executions.
- President Donald Trump has been a strong advocate for the death penalty and reinstated federal executions.
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has enacted laws that facilitate the carrying out of death sentences.
Three men are scheduled to be executed on the same day across different US states, a rare occurrence not seen in 16 years, signaling a notable increase in capital punishment nationwide. Anthony Darrell Hines, 66, in Tennessee, Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez, 71, in Oklahoma, and Jeremy Williams, 41, in Alabama are all slated for execution on Thursday.
This surge in executions is partly attributed to political support for the death penalty. President Donald Trump, a vocal proponent, reinstated the federal death penalty in 2020 and signed an executive order in 2025 to re-establish it, encouraging states to pursue capital punishment. His administration also expanded execution protocols and streamlined processes for death penalty cases.
Florida has emerged as a significant driver of this trend, accounting for approximately 40% of the total executions. Governor Ron DeSantis has championed laws that ease the path to execution, including reducing the required juror consensus for a death penalty recommendation and making certain crimes capital offenses. Experts note that Florida's governor has a unique ability to sign death warrants for prisoners with no further appeals.
The methods of execution, particularly lethal injection, have become a point of contention due to drug shortages and a rise in botched executions. In 2025, South Carolina began using firing squads due to lethal injection drug scarcity. A recent incident in Tennessee involved a prolonged and problematic lethal injection attempt.
Despite the rise in executions, public support for the death penalty has been declining, with a recent Gallup poll showing only 52% of Americans deeming it morally acceptable, the lowest figure since the 1970s. This waning support is also reflected in a decrease in death sentences issued by juries.