The Death Penalty in the OSCE Area–Background Paper 2018 According to online resources, 39 people were sentenced to death in the United States in 2017.44 Information on all dates of sentencing is not publicly available. Within the reporting period, courts in the United States examined several cases of convicts on death row claiming their innocence due to newly disclosed evidence, or cases where the judgment was considered unconstitutional by a supreme court.45 For instance, the case of Marcellus Williams attracted widespread public attention. In August 2017, Williams’ execution was halted several hours before it was to take place, because DNA evidence not available at the time of the crime showed an unknown third person’s DNA on the murder weapon. Despite the fact that DNA evidence that cast doubt on his guilt was found in 2016, the state of Missouri was still planning to proceed with his execution.46 More than 276,000 people signed the online petition47 calling for the stay of execution.48 Executions between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2018 During the reporting period, 24 executions were carried out in the United States. Texas executed seven people, Alabama, Arkansas and Florida executed four people each, Georgia and Ohio executed two people each, and Virginia carried out one execution. Those executed were all men. They were all executed by lethal injection. Date of execution Name State Age Race 20 April 2017 Ledell Lee Arkansas 51 Black 24 April 2017 Jack Jones Arkansas 52 White 24 April 2017 Marcel Williams Arkansas 46 Black 27 April 2017 Kenneth Williams Arkansas 38 Black 17 May 2017 JW Ledford Georgia 46 White 26 May 2017 Thomas Arthur Alabama 75 White 8 June 2017 Robert Melson Alabama 46 Black 6 July 2017 William Morva Virginia 35 White 26 July 2017 Ronald Phillips Ohio 43 White 44  “Death Sentences in 2017”, Death Penalty Information Center, <https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/2017-sentencing>. 45  See, for example: “Florida Denies Relief to Prisoner Unconstitutionally Sentenced to Death, in Decision that Could Affect More Than 75 Cases”, Death Penalty Information Center, <https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/node/6839>. 46  “Marcellus Williams execution delayed after DNA test raises question about his guilt”, the Independent, 22 August 2017, <https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/marcellus-williams-execution-delay-stayleave-dna-test-death-row-murder-inmate-a7907356.html>. 47  “Stop the execution of Marcellus Williams”, Change.org, <https://www.change.org/p/eric-greitens-do-not-execute-marcellus-williams>. 48  In August 2018 it was announced that the panel of five judges will review the case of Marcellus Williams. “Ex-judges to review evidence in Mo. death penalty case”, CorrectionsOne.com, 7 August 2018, <https://www. correctionsone.com/capital-punishment/articles/478834187-Ex-judges-to-review-evidence-in-Mo-death-penalty-case/>. 15