Whats the youngest Death Sentence ever?

Question

My work collegue does not believe that in certain countries children get executed?

Where in the USA is it the youngest age to get the death penalty?

Also where in the world is it the youngest to die by the death penalty

Answer 1

James Arcene was executed by the federal government in Arkansas on June 18, 1885, for a crime committed when he was only 10. He was hanged.

Answer 2

Just a small correction to a couple of the other posters.

While 17 US States have NO minimum age at which someone can be *sentenced* to death, and 14 others allow persons under 18 (but above their own minimum) to be sentenced to death, US Federal law, since the Supreme Court ruled in Roper v Simmons in 2005, prohibits such a defendant from actually being executed until he turns 18.

Since the re-introduction of the death penalty, 22 people in the US have been executed after their 18th birthday for crimes committed when they were minors.

The USA, Iran and North Korea are currently the only three countries in the world that allow for people classed as minors to be sentenced to death. (although the age at which someone is classed as an adult is as low as 15 in some countries)

Richard

Answer 3

America is the only 'First World' country to execute juvenile offenders. Some states (17) have no minimum age for execution, some specify 16 years. Youngest age in Arkansas, Utah and Virginia where a defendant could face the death penalty is 14.

Its difficult to say with 'Third World' countries. Numbers and ages not reliably recorded in many

Answer 4

Richard's post above is not entirely correct. The US Supreme Court decision of Roper v. Simmons (2005) forbids the imposition of the death penalty to juveniles, not merely their execution.

From the 1st paragraph of the ruling (written by Justice Kennedy):

"Held: The Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid imposition of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed."

So children cannot be executed in the US anymore, and nor can adults who committed their crimes while children.

This ruling holds for all 50 states, so any state laws to the contrary are null and void (unless the Supreme Court changes its mind.)

Answer 5

1944... george stinny was the youngest prson to be legally executed, he was 14... there are still 15 states that have no minimum age limit for the death penalty

Answer 6

This is a very interesting question