List of people executed in the United States, 1976–1983

Eleven people, all male, were executed in the United States between 1976–1983, seven by electrocution, two by gas chamber, one by lethal injection, and one by firing squad.[1][2] Gary Mark Gilmore was the first person to be executed since the U.S. death penalty reinstatement in 1976, and the first overall since Luis Monge in 1967. John Spenkelink, meanwhile, was the first person to be involuntarily executed since 1965. 1982 saw the first execution in the U.S. to use lethal injection with the execution of Charles Brooks Jr.

List of people executed in the United States between 1976–1983

No. Date of execution Name Age of person Gender Ethnicity State Method Ref.
At execution At offense Age difference
1 January 17, 1977 Gary Mark Gilmore 36 35 1 Male White Utah Firing squad [3]
2 May 25, 1979 John Arthur Spenkelink 30 23 7 Florida Electrocution [4]
3 October 22, 1979 Jesse Walter Bishop 46 44 2 Nevada Gas chamber [5]
4 March 9, 1981 Steven Timothy Judy 24 22 Indiana Electrocution [6]
5 August 10, 1982 Frank Joseph Coppola 38 34 4 Virginia [7]
6 December 7, 1982 Charles Brooks Jr. 40 6 Black Texas Lethal injection [8]
7 April 22, 1983 John Louis Evans III 33 27 White Alabama Electrocution [9]
8 September 2, 1983 Jimmy Lee Gray 34 7 Mississippi Gas chamber [10]
9 November 30, 1983 Robert Austin Sullivan 36 25 11 Florida Electrocution [11]
10 December 14, 1983 Robert Wayne Williams 31 26 5 Black Louisiana [12]
11 December 15, 1983 John Eldon Smith 53 43 10 White Georgia [13]
Average: 36 years 31 years 6 years

Demographics

Gender
Male 11 100%
Female 0 0%
Ethnicity
White 9 82%
Black 2 18%
State
Florida 2 18%
Alabama 1 9%
Georgia 1 9%
Indiana 1 9%
Louisiana 1 9%
Mississippi 1 9%
Nevada 1 9%
Texas 1 9%
Utah 1 9%
Virginia 1 9%
Method
Electrocution 7 64%
Gas chamber 2 18%
Firing squad 1 9%
Lethal injection 1 9%
Month
January 1 9%
February 0 0%
March 1 9%
April 1 9%
May 1 9%
June 0 0%
July 0 0%
August 1 9%
September 1 9%
October 1 9%
November 1 9%
December 3 27%
Age
20–29 1 9%
30–39 7 64%
40–49 2 18%
50–59 1 9%
Total 11 100%

Executions in recent years

Number of executions
1984 21
1976–1983 11
1965–1972 10
Total 42

References

  1. ^ "Execution List 1976-1986". Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  2. ^ "U.S. Executions Since 1976". The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  3. ^ "Gary Gilmore executed". The Daily Spectrum via newspaper.com. January 18, 1977. p. 3.
  4. ^ "Convicted Murderer Executed by Florida". The Washington Post. May 26, 1979.
  5. ^ "MURDERER IN CASINO EXECUTED IN NEVADA". The New York Times. October 23, 1979.
  6. ^ "INDIANA MURDERER EXECUTED AT PRISON". The New York Times. March 9, 1981.
  7. ^ "Coppola executed". The Stuart News via newspaper.com. August 11, 1982. p. 2.
  8. ^ "Brooks executed by injection early today". Bryan-College Station Eagle via newspaper.com. December 7, 1982. pp. 1, 12.
  9. ^ "John Evans executed". UPI. April 23, 1983.
  10. ^ "KILLER OF 3-YEAR-OLD MISSISSIPPI GIRL EXECUTED AFTER JUSTICES REJECT PLEA". The New York Times. September 2, 1983.
  11. ^ "MURDERER EXECUTED DESPITE PLEA BY POPE AND FLORIDA BISHOPS". The New York Times. December 1, 1983.
  12. ^ "LOUISIANAN DIES IN ELECTRIC CHAIR". The New York Times. December 14, 1983.
  13. ^ "GEORGIA MAN BECOMES SECOND EXECUTED IN 26 DAYS". The New York Times. December 16, 1983.
Preceded by
1965–1972 		   List of people executed   
   in the United States,   
1976–1983 		Succeeded by
1984
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