For the 83 men facing capital punishment in Nevada (as of 2013), death by natural causes is a more likely outcome than seeing their sentences actually carried out.
The last execution occurred at Nevada State Prison on April 26, 2006, when Daryl Mack was put to death by lethal injection. He was only the twelfth inmate executed in Nevada since capital punishment was reinstated by the state legislature in 1977. In 11 of the cases, the executions were only carried out when inmates gave up their rights to appeal their convictions. Many others death row inmates have died while awaiting execution.
Nevada's ongoing decision not to proceed with executions of condemned inmates is one argument used by opponents of capital punishment to seek a ban on the practice. Another is the cost. This article is a brief summary of capital punishment laws in Nevada.
Opponents of the death penalty have long argued that the costs of litigating death penalty cases, along with other associated expenses, make the punishment a financial drain on scarce state revenues.
Capital Punishment Statutes in Nevada
To some extent, states are permitted to have their own capital punishment laws: 18 states have banned capital punishment, and 32 states have death penalty laws in place. The following table outlines Nevada's capital punishment laws.
| Code Section | 176.025; 176.345, et seq.; 176.415, et seq.; 200.030, et seq. |
| Is Capital Punishment Allowed? | Yes |
| Effect of Defendant's Incapacity | Suspend sentence when defendant is found insane or pregnant |
| Minimum Age | 18 |
| Available for Crimes Other than Homicide? | None |
| Definition of Capital Homicide | First degree murder and murder of multiple victims (random, no motive); involved torture; peace officer or fireman engaged in official duties; for remuneration; avoid lawful arrest or effect escape from custody; connection with robbery, sexual assault, arson, burglary, kidnapping; knowingly created great risk of death to more than one person other than the victim; previous murder/felony convictions involving use/threat of violence; offender serving sentence; victim was less than 14 years old; murder committed because of victim's race, religion, or ethnic background |
| Method of Execution | Lethal injection |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a Nevada attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Americans remain sharply divided on the issue of capital punishment. It is among the more divisive topics in our country with most national polls show close to an even split between those in favor of the death penalty and those who prefer life imprisonment. In recent years there has been a decline in executions, coinciding with a decrease in public support of the death penalty. Just 29 people were executed in 2014 (most of which occurred in Florida, Missouri, and Texas), down from a post-1978 peak of 98 in 1999.
Related Resources for Nevada Capital Punishment Laws:
Many states have differing laws regarding the death penalty, and they can change over time. If you would like legal assistance with a death penalty matter, you can contact a Nevada criminal law attorney. You can also visit FindLaw's Capital Punishment and the Death Penalty section for more articles and information on this topic.
