Capital Punishment in Connecticut - History

History

Between 1639 and 2005, Connecticut performed 126 executions. Twenty-four executions occurred in Connecticut Colony, prior to its statehood. The remaining 102 executions occurred after Connecticut's 1788 admission to the Union as the fifth state. Contrary to popular belief, Adonijah Bailey was not the oldest person executed at age 79 in 1824; instead, he was tried and sentenced to death at age 80 in January 1825 for the murder of Jeremiah W. Pollock, and hung himself on May 24, over two weeks before he was to be executed. The oldest person executed is Gershon Marx, hanged on May 18, 1905, for murder at age 73. The following are some historical milestones of capital punishment in Connecticut:

Year Date Milestone Name Race Sex Age Method Offense
1639 02013-01-30January 30 first person to be executed Nepauduck Native American Male n/a Hanging Murder
1647 02013-05-26May 26 first female to be executed Young, Alse White Female n/a Hanging Witchcraft
1753 02013-11-21November 21 last adult female to be executed by hanging Bramble, Sarah White Female n/a Hanging Murder
1786 02013-12-20December 20 youngest person to be executed Ocuish, Hannah Native American Female 12 Hanging Murder
1817 02013-11-30November 30 last person to be executed for a crime other than murder Adams, Amos Black Male 28 Hanging Rape
1905 02013-05-18May 18 oldest person to be executed Marx, Gershon White Male 73 Hanging Murder
1936 02013-04-07April 7 last person to be executed by hanging Simborski, John White Male 30 Hanging Murder
1937 02013-02-10February 10 first person to be executed by electric chair McElroy, James White Male 45 Electric chair Murder
1960 02013-05-17May 17 last person to be executed by electric chair (as well as the last pre-Furman execution in Connecticut) Taborsky, Joseph White Male 36 Electric chair Murder
2005 02013-05-13May 13 first person to be executed by lethal injection Ross, Michael White Male 45 Lethal Injection Murder

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