On This Day

Capital punishment is declared unconstitutional in New York

Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's...

Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's constitution. However, certain federal crimes are subject to the federal death penalty, even if the crimes occur in New York.

In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Furman v. Georgia declared existing capital punishment statutes unconstitutional, abolishing the practice of capital punishment in the United States. In 1976, the same court's ruling in Gregg v. Georgia allowed states to reinstate the death penalty. In 1995, Governor George Pataki signed a new statute into law which returned the death penalty in New York by authorizing lethal injection for execution. Prior to Furman v.

Historical Significance

Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's constitution.

Events Before

  1. Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

    On Saturday, February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven astronauts on board.

  2. An estimated 6-11 million people around the world take to the streets to protest against war with Iraq

    Beginning in late 2002 and continuing after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, large-scale protests against the Iraq War were held in many cities worldwide, often coordinated to occur simultaneously around…

  3. Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO

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  4. Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

    Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

  5. The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

    The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

Events After

  1. Shirley Chisholm dies

    Shirley Chisholm politician, known for american politician, died on 2005-01-01. Shirley Anita Chisholm ( CHIZ-əm; née St.

  2. Britain's Ellen MacArthur becomes the fastest person to sail solo around the world, taking 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes

    Britain's Ellen MacArthur becomes the fastest person to sail solo around the world, taking 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds; surpassed in 2017

  3. Online video-sharing site YouTube is founded in San Mateo, California, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim

    YouTube is an American online video-sharing platform headquartered in San Bruno, California, founded by three former PayPal employees—Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim—in February 2005.

  4. Kyoto Protocol comes into force following its ratification by Russia, committing industrialized nations to limit and red

    Kyoto Protocol comes into force following its ratification by Russia, committing industrialized nations to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  5. President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak orders the constitution changed to allow multi-candidate presidential elections, asking

    President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak orders the constitution changed to allow multi-candidate presidential elections, asking the Egyptian parliament to amend Article 76

More from the 2000s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on June 24, 2004?
Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's constitution. However, certain federal crimes are subject to the federal death penalty, even if the crimes occur in New York. In 1972, the U.S.
Why is Capital punishment is declared unconstitutional in New York significant?
Capital punishment has not been a penalty under state law in the State of New York since 2004 after the New York Court of Appeals declared that the statute as written was not valid under the state's constitution.

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