Death Penalty in Pennsylvania

As of October 2026, Pennsylvania is one of the states that legally retains capital punishment but has an executive hold or practical pause on executions. Pennsylvania retains the death penalty in law, while an executive hold on executions has continued under Governor Josh Shapiro.

Current legal status

The death penalty remains part of Pennsylvania law. That does not necessarily mean executions occur regularly: capital punishment in the United States varies sharply by state because death sentences, appeals, clemency, execution warrants, drug availability, court orders and executive policy can all affect whether a sentence is carried out.

Authorized execution methods

This state page is therefore linked to the broader Execution Methods in the United States archive rather than repeating technical protocol details that can change over time.

Death row, prisons and execution sites

Constitutional framework

Why this page exists

Sources

– Death Penalty Information Center — Pennsylvania state profile. – Death Penalty Information Center — Authorized Methods by State.

Death-row exonerations

– Daniel Gwynn — convicted 1995, exonerated 2024 (Charges dismissed).

These cases connect the state archive to the broader Death Row Exonerations in the United States hub.