For 36 years, Malik Abdul-Sajjad lived within the shadow of death. Formerly Richard Randolph, he spent decades awaiting execution in Florida, a stark illustration of the agonizingly slow process that defines America’s death penalty system. Just weeks ago, on November 20, 2025, that wait ended. But a few days later, on November 26th, a different story unfolded in Louisiana – Jimmie Duncan, wrongly convicted of murder, walked free after 27 years, a testament to the fallibility of justice.
The year 2025 witnessed a chilling surge in executions, reaching a level unseen in over a decade. A total of 44 prisoners were put to death, bringing the total since 1976 to a staggering 1651. This dramatic increase wasn’t a gradual shift, but a sudden spike that sparked national conversation and renewed scrutiny of capital punishment.
Florida is at the heart of this unsettling trend. Experts point to a deliberate policy shift, with Governor DeSantis personally scheduling a record number of executions – 17 in the state alone this year. This unprecedented action is the primary driver behind the national increase, a direct response to demands for closure from victims’ families.
The surge in executions is partially attributed to a backlog created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Delays in the legal system meant Governor DeSantis was finally able to address cases that had lingered for years, fulfilling what he described as a duty to deliver justice to those who had suffered unimaginable loss.
Beyond Florida, the death penalty remained concentrated in a handful of states: Texas, South Carolina, and Alabama. But even the methods of execution were evolving, driven by challenges in securing lethal injection drugs and concerns over botched procedures. Alabama utilized nitrogen gas, while South Carolina resorted to firing squads, sparking fierce debate over the definition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Despite the recent increase, experts predict this year’s surge is an anomaly. The overall trend in capital punishment has been steadily declining since around the year 2000. Public support for the death penalty is waning, a shift that has been decades in the making.
A Gallup poll in October 2025 revealed that only 52% of Americans now support capital punishment – a dramatic drop from the 80% recorded in 1994. This decline is particularly pronounced among younger generations, signaling a potential future where the death penalty becomes increasingly unpopular.
However, political forces continue to exert influence. Despite the shifting public sentiment, some leaders remain staunch advocates for capital punishment. Recent statements and directives indicate a commitment to aggressively pursue the death penalty in certain jurisdictions.
Currently, 23 states retain the death penalty as a legal punishment. These include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. The future of capital punishment in these states, and across the nation, remains uncertain.
