List of people executed in Connecticut
This is a list of people executed in Connecticut, prior to the abolition of capital punishment in the state on April 25, 2012.[1]
List
| Number | Name | Age | Race | Sex | Occupation | Crime | Date | Method | County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nepauduck | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | January 30, 1639 | Beheading | New Haven | |
| 2 | Spencer, George | — | White | Male | Servant | Sodomy | April 1, 1642 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 5 |
| Plaine, William | 56 | White | Male | Sodomy | 1646 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 4 | ||
| 3 | Young, Alse | 31-32 | White | Female | — | Witchcraft | May 26, 1647 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 4 | Johnson, Mary | — | White | Female | Servant | Witchcraft | 1649 | Hanging | — | |
| 5 | Carrington, Sr, John | 37 | White | Male | Carpenter | Witchcraft | March 1651 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 5 | Carrington, Joan | — | White | Female | Housewife | Witchcraft | March 1651 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 5 | Bassett (Holland), Margery "Goody" | — | White | Female | Housewife | Witchcraft | 1651 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 6 | Knapp, Elizabeth | — | White | Female | Housewife | Witchcraft | 1653 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 7 | Walter Robinson | 15 | White | Male | — | Sodomy | March 1655 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 8 | John Knight | — | White | Male | — | Sodomy | June 1655 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 9 | Greensmith, Nathaniel | — | White | Male | — | Witchcraft | January 1663 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 10 | Greensmith, Rebecca | — | White | Female | Housewife | Witchcraft | January 1663 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 11 | Barnes, Mary | 36 | White | Female | Housewife | Witchcraft (exonerated 2023)[2] | February 24, 1663 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 12 | Potter, William | — | White | Male | — | Sodomy | June 6, 1662 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 13 | — | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | 1700 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 14 | — | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | 1700 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 15 | — | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | 1700 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 16 | Garrett, Catherine | 27 | Native American | Female | Servant | Murder | May 3, 1738 | Hanging | New London | |
| 17 | Bramble, Sarah | — | White | Female | — | Murder | November 21, 1753 | Hanging | New London | |
| 18 | Frazier, Isaac | — | — | Male | — | Burglary | September 1768 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 19 | Jacobs, John | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | November 2, 1768 | Hanging | Litchfield | |
| 20 | Paul, Moses | — | Native American | Male | Drifter | Murder | September 2, 1772 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 21 | Dunbar, Moses | 30 | White | Male | Farmer | Treason | March 19, 1777 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 22 | Griswold | — | White | Male | — | Treason | 1778 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 23 | Davenport, Barnet | 20 | White | Male | Servant | Murder | May 8, 1780 | Hanging | Litchfield | |
| 24 | Ocuish, Hannah | 12 | Native American | Female | — | Murder | December 20, 1786 | Hanging | New London | |
| 25 | Mountain, Joseph | 33 | Black | Male | — | Rape | January 20, 1790 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 26 | Doane, Richard | — | White | Male | — | Murder | June 10, 1797 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 27 | Starr, Thomas | — | White | Male | — | Murder | June 14, 1797 | Hanging | Middlesex | |
| 28 | Anthony | — | Black | Male | Freedman | Rape | November 8, 1798 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 29 | Adams, Caleb | 18 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | November 29, 1803 | Hanging | Windham | |
| 30 | Freeman, Samuel | 25 | Black | Male | — | Murder | November 6, 1805 | Hanging | Windham | |
| 31 | Niles, Henry | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | November 4, 1807 | Hanging | New London | |
| 32 | Babcock, Miner | — | White | Male | — | Murder | June 6, 1816 | Hanging | New London | |
| 33 | Lung, Peter | — | White | Male | — | Murder | June 20, 1816 | Hanging | Middlesex | |
| 34 | Adams, Amos | 28 | Black | Male | — | Rape | November 30, 1817 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| ** | Bailey, Adonijah | 79 | — | Male | — | Murder | 1824 | Hanging | Windham | Note 3 |
| 35 | Washington, George | — | Native American | Male | — | Murder | June 1, 1824 | Hanging | Tolland | |
| 36 | Watkins, Oliver | — | White | Male | — | Murder | August 2, 1831 | Hanging | Windham | |
| 37 | Teller, William | 28 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | September 6, 1833 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 38 | Reynolds, Caesar | 30 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | September 6, 1833 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 39 | Sherman | — | — | Male | — | Murder | June 13, 1834 | Hanging | New London | |
| 40 | Potter, Andrew | — | White | Male | — | Murder | July 20, 1846 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 41 | Foote, Henry | — | White | Male | — | Murder | January 2, 1850 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 42 | McCaffrey, James | — | White | Male | — | Murder | January 2, 1850 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 43 | Jennings, Michael | 18 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 11, 1854 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 44 | Toole, Gerald | — | — | Male | Convict | Murder | 1862 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 45 | Starkweather, Albert | 25 | White | Male | Farmer | Murder | August 17, 1866 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 46 | Wilson, James | 47 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | January 13, 1871 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 47 | Hamlin, Henry | — | White | Male | Convict | Murder | May 28, 1880 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 48 | Smith, James "Chip" | — | White | Male | — | Murder | September 1, 1882 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 49 | Palladoni, Phillip | — | White | Male | — | Murder | January 5, 1888 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 50 | Swift, John | — | White | Male | Piano player | Murder | April 18, 1889 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 51 | Scheele, Jacob | — | White | Male | Saloon keeper | Murder | June 18, 1891 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 52 | Borjensen, Andrew | — | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | January 29, 1892 | Hanging | Litchfield | |
| 53 | Petrillo, Angelo | — | White | Male | — | Murder | November 14, 1892 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 54 | Cronin, John | 38 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 18, 1894 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 55 | Hartlein, Kaspar | 40 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 13, 1896 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 56 | Kippie, Thomas F. | 42 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 14, 1897 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 57 | Fuda, Giuseppe | 31 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | December 3, 1897 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 58 | Imposino, Nicodemo | 22 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | December 17, 1897 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 59 | Boinay, Charles A. | 34 | White | Male | Wire weaver | Murder | April 14, 1898 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 59 | Willis, Benjamin R. | 21 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 30, 1898 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 60 | Brockhaus, Frederick M. | 21 | White | Male | Criminal | Murder | September 6, 1899 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 61 | Cross, Charles B. | 18 | White | Male | Farmhand | Murder | July 20, 1900 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 62 | Misik, Paul | 34 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 11, 1904 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 63 | Watson, Joseph | 18 | Black | Male | Valet | Murder | November 17, 1904 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 64 | Marx, Gershon | 73 | White | Male | Farmer | Murder | May 18, 1905 | Hanging | New London | |
| 65 | Sherouk, Ephriam | 24 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | January 9, 1906 | Hanging | Tolland | |
| 66 | Bailey, Henry G. | 40 | White | Male | Farmhand | Murder | April 16, 1907 | Hanging | Middlesex | |
| 67 | Herman, Alexander | 26 | White | Male | — | Murder | May 10, 1907 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 68 | Washelesky, John | 32 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 1, 1908 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 69 | Rossi, Lorenzo | 31 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 24, 1908 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 70 | Zett, John | 48 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 21, 1908 | Hanging | Tolland | |
| 71 | Campagnolo, Giuseppe | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 24, 1909 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 72 | Carfaro, Raffaele | 19 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 24, 1909 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 73 | Zawedzianczek, John | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 9, 1910 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 74 | Tanganelli, Andrea | 26 | White | Male | — | Murder | March 29, 1912 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 75 | Redding, George, Jr. | 21 | White | Male | Produce clerk | Murder | November 1, 1912 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 76 | Saxon, Louis | 29 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 27, 1913 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 77 | Plew, James | 48 | White | Male | Farmhand | Murder | March 4, 1914 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 78 | Rikteraitis, Matijins | 29 | White | Male | — | Murder | May 8, 1914 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 79 | Buonomo, Joseph | 24 | White | Male | Criminal | Murder | June 30, 1914 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 80 | Bergeron, Joseph | 40 | White | Male | — | Murder | August 11, 1914 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 81 | Montvid, Bernard | 23 | White | Male | — | Murder | August 6, 1915 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 82 | Grela, Frank | 41 | White | Male | — | Murder | August 13, 1915 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 83 | Roe, Harry | 22 | White | Male | — | Murder | March 3, 1916 | Hanging | Hartford[3] | Note 1 |
| 84 | Williams, Isaac | 30 | White | Male | — | Murder | March 3, 1916 | Hanging | Hartford[3] | Note 1 |
| 85 | Zuppa, Pasquale | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | March 10, 1916 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 86 | Vetere, Francisco | 25 | White | Male | Entertainer | Murder | October 5, 1917 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 87 | Castelli, Joseph | 24 | White | Male | — | Murder | October 5, 1917 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 1 |
| 88 | Buglione, Stephen | 20 | White | Male | — | Murder | November 16, 1917 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 89 | Donvanso, Giovanni | 21 | White | Male | — | Murder | November 16, 1917 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 90 | Wise, William | 23 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 14, 1917 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 91 | Dusso, Frank | 25 | White | Male | Longshoreman | Murder | June 17, 1918 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 92 | Pisaniello, Carmine | 21 | White | Male | — | Murder | June 17, 1918 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 93 | Lanzillo, Carmine | 24 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | June 17, 1918 | Hanging | New Haven | Note 2 |
| 94 | Perretta, Erasmo | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | June 27, 1919 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 95 | Perretta, Joseph | 33 | White | Male | — | Murder | June 27, 1919 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 96 | Nechesnook, Nikifor | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 3, 1919 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 97 | Cerrone, Daniel | 31 | White | Male | — | Murder | March 5, 1920 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 98 | Wade, Elwood | 24 | White | Male | — | Murder | May 20, 1921 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 99 | Kaurawskas, John | 36 | White | Male | Laborer | Murder | May 27, 1921 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 100 | Schutte, Emil | 55 | White | Male | Merchant | Murder | October 24, 1922 | Hanging | Middlesex | |
| 101 | Chapman, Gerald | 35 | White | Male | Gangster | Murder | April 6, 1926 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 102 | Wing, Soo Hoo | 19 | Asian | Male | — | Murder | November 8, 1927 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 103 | Lung, Chin | 33 | Asian | Male | — | Murder | November 8, 1927 | Hanging | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 104 | Feltovic, John | 19 | White | Male | — | Murder | December 10, 1929 | Hanging | Fairfield | |
| 105 | Dibattista, Frank | 26 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 21, 1930 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 106 | Lorenzo, Henry | 26 | White | Male | — | Murder | August 12, 1930 | Hanging | Hartford | |
| 107 | Simborski, John | 30 | White | Male | — | Murder | April 7, 1936 | Hanging | New Haven | |
| 108 | McElroy, James | 45 | White | Male | Steamfitter | Murder | February 10, 1937 | Electrocution | New Haven | |
| 109 | Palka, Frank | 26 | White | Male | Mechanic | Murder | April 12, 1938 | Electrocution | Fairfield | |
| 110 | Weaver, Ira | 36 | White | Male | Handyman | Murder | April 29, 1940 | Electrocution | Middlesex | Note 1 |
| 111 | Cots, Vincent | 32 | White | Male | Mechanic | Murder | April 29, 1940 | Electrocution | Middlesex | Note 1 |
| 112 | Gurski, Peter | 28 | White | Male | — | Murder | February 23, 1943 | Electrocution | Litchfield | |
| 113 | Funderburk, Wilson | 38 | Black | Male | — | Murder | April 20, 1943 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 114 | Decaro, Carlo | 20 | White | Male | Factory worker | Murder | May 3, 1944 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 115 | Rossi, Nicholas | 33 | White | Male | — | Murder | June 18, 1945 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 116 | Lewie, Raymond | 19 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | October 1, 1946 | Electrocution | Hartford | Note 2 |
| 117 | Tommaselli, Arthur | 25 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | October 1, 1946 | Electrocution | Hartford | Note 2 |
| 118 | McCarthy, James | 21 | White | Male | Convict | Murder | October 1, 1946 | Electrocution | Hartford | Note 2 |
| 119 | Bradley, Robert | 38 | Black | Male | Trash collector | Murder | April 12, 1948 | Electrocution | New Haven | |
| 120 | Lorain, William | 34 | White | Male | — | Murder | July 11, 1955 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 121 | Malm, Robert | 32 | White | Male | Dishwasher | Murder | July 18, 1955 | Electrocution | Hartford | Note 1 |
| 122 | Donahue, John | 22 | White | Male | Parolee | Murder | July 18, 1955 | Electrocution | Fairfield | Note 1 |
| 123 | Davies, George | 41 | White | Male | Machine tool operator | Murder | September 20, 1959 | Electrocution | New Haven | |
| 124 | Wojculewicz, Frank | 42 | White | Male | Gangster | Murder | October 26, 1959 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 125 | Taborsky, Joseph L. | 36 | White | Male | Gangster | Murder | May 17, 1960 | Electrocution | Hartford | |
| 126 | Ross, Michael B. | 45 | White | Male | Insurance salesman | Murder | May 13, 2005 | Lethal injection | Tolland | |
| Average Age: | 30.44 |
Notes:
- On this occasion, two executions took place.
- On this occasion, three executions took place.
- This is what the chart claimed in 2005, but 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 hanged himself on May 24, over 2 weeks before he was to be executed.[4][5] The title of the oldest person executed goes instead to Gershon Marx, hanged on May 18, 1905, for murder at age 73.[6]
- James Savage, ed., John Winthrop, The History of New England from 1630 to 1649, Vol. 2, (Boston:Little, Brown, 1853), page 324. See also Goodheart, where there are 158 death penalty victims identified for Connecticut.[7]
- Posthumously pardoned.
Summary
| Age | Frequency | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 19 and below | 9 | 7% |
| 20 to 29 | 39 | 31% |
| 30 to 39 | 25 | 20% |
| 40 to 49 | 12 | 10% |
| 50 and above | 2 | 2% |
| Unknown | 39 | 31% |
| Race | Frequency | Percent |
| White | 104 | 83% |
| Native American | 10 | 8% |
| Black | 7 | 6% |
| Asian | 2 | 2% |
| Unknown | 3 | 2% |
| Sex | Frequency | Percent |
| Male | 117 | 93% |
| Female[8] | 9 | 7% |
| Crime | Frequency | Percent |
| Murder | 109 | 87% |
| Witchcraft | 7 | 6% |
| Sodomy | 4 | 3% |
| Rape | 3 | 2% |
| Treason | 2 | 2% |
| Burglary | 1 | 1% |
| Date | Frequency | Percent |
| 1600 to 1699 | 12 | 10% |
| 1700 to 1799 | 16 | 13% |
| 1800 to 1899 | 32 | 25% |
| 1900 to 1999 | 65 | 52% |
| 2000 to present | 1 | 1% |
| Method | Frequency | Percent |
| Hanging | 107 | 85% |
| Electrocution | 18 | 14% |
| Lethal injection | 1 | 1% |
| County | Frequency | Percent |
| Hartford | 42 | 33% |
| New Haven | 39 | 31% |
| Fairfield | 18 | 14% |
| New London | 8 | 6% |
| Litchfield | 6 | 5% |
| Middlesex | 6 | 5% |
| Windham | 3 | 2% |
| Tolland | 3 | 2% |
| Unknown | 1 | 1% |
| Total: | 126 Executions |
See also
- Capital punishment in Connecticut
- Capital punishment in the United States
- List of counties in Connecticut
- Methods of execution: Electrocution, Hanging, Lethal injection
- Ocuish, Hannah
- Ross, Michael Bruce
- Taborsky, Joseph "Mad Dog"
- Young, Achsah
References
- ^ "Connecticut governor signs death penalty repeal". CBS News. April 25, 2012.
- ^ "Connecticut confronted as originator of New England witch trials". March 2, 2023.
- ^ a b "Williams and Roe Are Denied Pardons" (PDF). Norwich Bulletin. February 29, 1916.
- ^ "RootsWeb: RIGENWEB-L Re: [RIGENWEB] Pollock Murder -- the Scoop". Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2010.
- ^ "The Telescope". 1824.
- ^ "[Deathpenalty]death penalty news----CONN., ALA., MISS., KY., USA".
- ^ Goodheart, Lawrence B. (January 1, 2011). The Solemn Sentence of Death: Capital Punishment in Connecticut. Univ of Massachusetts Press. ISBN 978-1558498471.
- ^ Pollard, Heather. "The Execution of Women in Connecticut". Research Gate. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
7. https://archives.albany.edu/concern/daos/cz30q762p