List of people executed in the United States in 1951

One hundred and one people, one hundred male and one female, were executed in the United States in 1951, eighty by electrocution, fourteen by gas chamber, five by hanging, and two by firing squad.[1] This is the most recent year where at least a hundred people were executed in the United States - the closest total during the post-Gregg era was in 1999, where nearly a hundred people were executed.

List of people executed in the United States in 1951

No. Date of execution Name Age of person Gender Ethnicity State Method Ref.
At execution At offense Age difference
1 January 4, 1951 Max Eugene Klettke 25 23 2 Male White Oklahoma Electrocution [2]
2 January 5, 1951 Robert Othe Layton 43 41 2 Louisiana [3]
3 Claud McGee 38 35 3 Missouri Gas chamber [4]
4 January 8, 1951 Walter McDonald 21 20 1 Black Florida Electrocution [5]
5 L.D. Robinson 46 45
6 George Wolfork Jr. 28 27
7 Robert Clement Shupp 49 48 White Pennsylvania [6]
8 Alexander Agoston Jr. 43 40 3
9 January 11, 1951 Harley LaMarr 20 19 1 Native American New York [7]
10 January 12, 1951 J.D. Dowdy 25 23 2 White Louisiana [8]
11 A.C. Stone Jr. Unknown Unknown Black Mississippi [9]
12 January 13, 1951 Ben Pickett Jr. 34 32 2 Texas [10]
13 January 16, 1951 Robert Austin Watts 28 24 4 Indiana [11]
14 January 26, 1951 Dale Smith Simpson 29 27 2 White Louisiana [12]
15 Dwight David Tudor 28 26 Ohio [13]
16 January 29, 1951 Theodore William Gregory 46 43 3 Nevada Gas chamber [14]
17 February 1, 1951 Thomas Jefferson Price 30 25 5 Texas Electrocution [15]
18 February 2, 1951 Murdock Hinton 47 44 3 Mississippi [16]
19 George Thomas Hailey 29 28 1 Virginia [17]
20 Joe Henry Hampton 21 19 2 Black
21 Howard Lee Hairston 20 18
22 Booker T. Millner 22 20
23 Frank Hairston Jr. 20 18
24 February 5, 1951 John Claborn Taylor 23 21
25 James Luther Hairston 22 20
26 Francis DeSales Grayson 38 36
27 February 9, 1951 George Ernest Doty 28 28 0 White Ohio [18]
28 February 15, 1951 Willie Winston Bunch 21 20 1 Black New York [19]
29 February 21, 1951 Charles R. Gifford 70 69 White Florida [20]
30 February 23, 1951 Matthew Ezell 38 36 2 Black Arkansas [21]
31 George Ferguson 35 34 1 [22]
32 March 1, 1951 Gilberto C. Walker 27 25 2 New York [23]
33 March 2, 1951 Monroe Arthur Jackson 34 33 1 White California Gas chamber [24]
34 Willie B. Harris 47 45 2 Black Georgia Electrocution [1]
35 March 8, 1951 John J. King 22 21 1 White New York [25]
36 Richard Power
37 Raymond Martinez Fernandez 36 34 2 Hispanic
38 Martha Jule Beck 30 28 Female White
39 March 14, 1951 Jimmie Bryant Patterson 44 43 1 Male Texas [1]
40 March 16, 1951 Harold Sexton 23 22 California Gas chamber [26]
41 March 21, 1951 Allen Conway Williams 41 39 2 Texas Electrocution [27]
42 March 22, 1951 Houston Roberts 45 44 1 Mississippi [28]
43 March 23, 1951 James Richard Hall 27 26 North Carolina Gas chamber [29]
44 Curtis Shedd 28 27
45 March 26, 1951 Harry Atlee Burdette Sr. 27 25 2 West Virginia Electrocution [30]
46 Fred Clifford Painter 33 31
47 March 27, 1951 Howard Auld 30 25 5 New Jersey [31]
48 April 6, 1951 Preston F. McBride 25 24 1 Kansas Hanging [32]
49 April 10, 1951 James William Hewlett Jr. 21 21 0 West Virginia Electrocution [33]
50 April 12, 1951 John Saiu 38 36 2 New York [34]
51 April 13, 1951 Troy Dale Powell 21 20 1 Idaho Hanging [35]
52 Ernest Lee Walrath Jr. 20 19
53 April 23, 1951 Edward Lester Gibbs 26 25 Pennsylvania Electrocution [36]
54 April 27, 1951 John Henry Rogers Black North Carolina Gas chamber [37]
55 Morzell Eakins 33 32 Ohio Electrocution [1]
56 May 8, 1951 Willie McGee 35 29 6 Mississippi [38]
57 May 11, 1951 William Alleman 22 Unknown Unknown White Louisiana [39]
58 May 25, 1951 Jimmie C. Williams 28 Unknown Unknown Black Georgia [1]
59 June 4, 1951 Jessie Hilton 34 33 1 Florida [40]
60 John Washington Jr. 25 24
61 June 8, 1951 Albert Shelkels 20 18 2 Kentucky [41]
62 Edward Honeycutt 24 21 3 Louisiana [42]
63 June 18, 1951 Wayne Dale Odell 23 22 1 White Washington Hanging [43]
64 June 27, 1951 Morris Bessard 22 20 2 Black Texas Electrocution [44]
65 July 3, 1951 Sam Williams 53 52 1 [1]
66 July 13, 1951 Ulysses Jones 32 32 0 Virginia [45]
67 July 16, 1951 Y.D. Robinson 33 1 Texas [46]
68 July 18, 1951 Harold Thomas Lantz 28 27 White Arizona Gas chamber [47]
69 July 20, 1951 Milton Harold Wilson 40 35 5 Black Louisiana Electrocution [48]
70 July 24, 1951 Gregorio P. Arellano 28 26 2 Hispanic Nevada Gas chamber [49]
71 July 27, 1951 Aubrey Smith 30 29 1 Black Arkansas Electrocution [50]
72 George Wilbur Solesbee 29 25 4 White Georgia [1]
73 Jearell Hathcox 38 37 1 Oklahoma [51]
74 August 6, 1951 James E. Felton 25 23 2 Black Florida [52]
75 Willie London 42 40
76 August 17, 1951 John Calvin Odle 59 58 1 White California Gas chamber [53]
77 September 5, 1951 Fred Felix Adair Jr. 27 24 3 Texas Electrocution [54]
78 Allen Matthews 24 Unknown 3 Black
79 L.C. Sims 26 24 2
80 September 7, 1951 Excel Beauchamp 23 23 0 Louisiana [55]
81 September 10, 1951 Eliseo J. Mares Jr. 18 5 Hispanic Utah Firing squad [56]
82 September 14, 1951 Claude Leon Osborn 36 35 1 Black California Gas chamber [57]
83 September 21, 1951 Melburn Joseph Mott 33 3 White Oklahoma Electrocution [58]
84 September 25, 1951 Steve M. Mitchell 49 46 Texas [59]
85 September 29, 1951 Ray Dempsey Gardner 29 27 2 Utah Firing squad [60]
86 October 5, 1951 Eldred Byrd McLendon Jr. 38 35 3 Georgia Electrocution [61]
87 October 9, 1951 Albert Rodgers Edwards 39 37 2 Texas [62]
88 October 26, 1951 John J. Berger Jr. 34 31 3 Colorado Gas chamber [63]
89 November 2, 1951 Ray Cullen 65 62 California [64]
90 Willie Ballard 19 Unknown Unknown Black Georgia Electrocution [1]
91 November 15, 1951 Max K. Amerman 28 27 1 White Ohio [65]
92 November 16, 1951 Carroll Gantt 18 18 0 Black South Carolina [66]
93 November 23, 1951 Arthur Nox Grays 23 23 Arkansas [67]
94 Peter Dorsey 27 26 1 [68]
95 November 30, 1951 Felix Chavez Jr. 25 2 Hispanic California Gas chamber [69]
96 December 8, 1951 Abbie Mouton 32 30 Black Texas Electrocution [70]
97 December 10, 1951 Grant Ellis Rio 29 27 White Washington Hanging [71]
98 December 12, 1951 Floyd Joyner Jr. 39 Unknown Unknown Black Virginia Electrocution [72]
99 December 14, 1951 Jim Parks 45 45 0 Georgia [1]
100 December 17, 1951 Vester William McBurnett 43 40 3 White [73]
101 December 20, 1951 Jefro Price 28 27 1 Black Mississippi [1]

Demographics

Gender
Male 100 99%
Female 1 1%
Ethnicity
White 50 50%
Black 46 46%
Hispanic 4 4%
Native American 1 1%
State
Texas 13 13%
Virginia 10 10%
Florida 8 8%
New York 8 8%
Georgia 7 7%
Louisiana 7 7%
California 6 6%
Arkansas 5 5%
Mississippi 5 5%
Ohio 4 4%
North Carolina 3 3%
Oklahoma 3 3%
Pennsylvania 3 3%
West Virginia 3 3%
Idaho 2 2%
Nevada 2 2%
Utah 2 2%
Washington 2 2%
Arizona 1 1%
Colorado 1 1%
Indiana 1 1%
Kansas 1 1%
Kentucky 1 1%
Missouri 1 1%
New Jersey 1 1%
South Carolina 1 1%
Method
Electrocution 80 79%
Gas chamber 14 14%
Hanging 5 5%
Firing squad 2 2%
Month
January 16 16%
February 15 15%
March 16 16%
April 8 8%
May 3 3%
June 6 6%
July 9 9%
August 3 3%
September 9 9%
October 3 3%
November 7 7%
December 6 6%
Age
10–19 2 2%
20–29 54 53%
30–39 26 26%
40–49 15 15%
50–59 2 2%
60–69 1 1%
70–79 1 1%
Total 101 100%

Executions in recent years

Number of executions
1952 81
1951 101
1950 83
Total 265

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Executions in the U.S. 1608–2002: The ESPY File" (PDF). Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  2. ^ "Klettke Put to Death, Is Calm to End". The Owosso Argus-Press. January 5, 1951. p. 1.
  3. ^ "State v. Layton". Justia Law.
  4. ^ "Convict Executed For Prison Killing". St. Louis Post-Dispatch via newspapers.com. January 5, 1951. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Death Warrants". St. Petersburg Times. January 6, 1951. p. 9.
  6. ^ "Electrocute 2 At Rockview". Greensburg Daily Tribune. January 8, 1951. p. 7.
  7. ^ "Family Affair Killers Pay The Penalty". The Advertiser. January 8, 1951. p. 3.
  8. ^ "State v. Dowdy". Justia Law.
  9. ^ "Negro Dies in Electric Chair at Greenville". The Vicksburg Post via newspapers.com. January 12, 1951. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Pickett v. State". vLex.
  11. ^ "Watts v. State". Justia Law.
  12. ^ "State v. Simpson". CaseMine.
  13. ^ "Tudor Dies In Chair For Killing Schoolgirl". The Portsmouth Times. January 27, 1951. p. 12.
  14. ^ "Slayer Executed". Spokane Daily Chronicle. January 29, 1951. p. 64.
  15. ^ "Jefferson Price Pays Penalty". The Courier-Gazette via newspapers.com. February 1, 1951. p. 5.
  16. ^ "Hinton Dies In Electric Chair". The Vicksburg Post via newspapers.com. February 2, 1951. p. 1.
  17. ^ "Execution of Negroes Cause Stir". Daily Mirror. February 3, 1951. p. 3.
  18. ^ "Bellaire Cab Driver Dies For Sex Slaying". The Portsmouth Times. February 10, 1951. p. 27.
  19. ^ "Killer's Counsel Appeals; Woman 'Led Him by Nose'". Schenectady Gazette. February 1, 1951. p. 5.
  20. ^ "Witness to an Execution". Tampa Bay Times. January 27, 2010.
  21. ^ "Ezell v. State". Justia Law.
  22. ^ "Ferguson v. State". Descrybe.
  23. ^ "Hometown Headlines". St. Petersburg Times. March 3, 1951. p. 5.
  24. ^ "People v. Jackson". Justia Law.
  25. ^ "2 'LONELY HEARTS' PAY DEATH PENALTY; Fernandez, Mrs. Beck Go to Chair in Sing Sing 2 Others Also Die for Murder". The New York Times. March 9, 1951.
  26. ^ "People v. Sexton". Stanford Law School.
  27. ^ "Williams v. State". CourtListener.
  28. ^ "Houston Roberts, Convicted Child-Poisoner, Dies In State's Portable Electric Chair". Clarion-Ledger via newspapers.com. March 22, 1951. p. 1.
  29. ^ "Two Convicted Murderers And Rapists Die In Raleigh Today". The Dispatch. March 23, 1951. p. 29.
  30. ^ "State v. Burdette". Justia Law.
  31. ^ "Auld Dies Tonight As Final Pleas for Mercy Are Denied". Courier-Post via newspapers.com. March 27, 1951. p. 1.
  32. ^ "State v. McBride". Justia Law.
  33. ^ "Slayer Executed At Moundsville". The Washington Reporter. April 11, 1951. p. 14.
  34. ^ "Slayer of Child Dies in Chair". The New York Times. April 13, 1951.
  35. ^ "Two Hanged For £5 Murder". The Mercury. April 16, 1951. p. 10.
  36. ^ "Commonwealth v. Gibbs". Justia Law.
  37. ^ "Sampson County Negro Executed". The Robesonian. April 27, 1951. p. 1.
  38. ^ "McGee Dies in Mississippi Chair; Final Plea to Justice Vinson Vain; WILLIE M'GEE GOES TO ELECTRIC CHAIR". The New York Times. May 8, 1951.
  39. ^ "State v. Alleman". Justia Law.
  40. ^ "Two Murderers Die In Chair". St. Petersburg Times. June 7, 1951. p. 8.
  41. ^ "Shelkels v. Commonwealth". vLex.
  42. ^ "State v. Honeycutt". Justia Law.
  43. ^ "State v. Odell". Justia Law.
  44. ^ "Bessard v. State". vLex.
  45. ^ "Jones To Be Executed Friday, July 13 For Murder of Child Here". Suffolk News-Herald. May 13, 1951. p. 2.
  46. ^ "Robinson v. State". Justia Law.
  47. ^ "State v. Lantz". Justia Law.
  48. ^ "Louisiana Negro Executed For Alleged Murder - Declared Innocent By Lawyer". Arkansas State Press. August 3, 1951. p. 1.
  49. ^ "State v. Arellano". Justia Law.
  50. ^ "Smith v. State". Justia Law.
  51. ^ "Hathcox v. State". vLex.
  52. ^ "Two Electrocuted". St. Petersburg Times. August 7, 1951. p. 2.
  53. ^ "People v. Odle". Stanford Law School.
  54. ^ "Fred Felix Adair Dies in Chair". The Bonham Daily Favorite. September 5, 1951. p. 2.
  55. ^ "Young Negro Farmer Admits Killing White Woman, 83". The News-Star via newspapers.com. May 23, 1951. p. 7.
  56. ^ "Firing Squad With Poor Aim Puts Slayer to Death". St. Petersburg Times. September 11, 1951. p. 1.
  57. ^ "People v. Osborn". Stanford Law School.
  58. ^ "Mott v. State". Justia Law.
  59. ^ "Mitchell v. State". Justia Law.
  60. ^ "Utah Sex Slayer Executed by Riflemen". The Telegraph-Herald. September 30, 1951. p. 4.
  61. ^ "McLendon Dies At State Prison For Killing Wife". Rome News-Tribune. October 5, 1951. p. 1.
  62. ^ "Texan Dies In Chair When Reprieve Fails". Lewiston Morning Tribune. October 9, 1951. p. 1.
  63. ^ "Berger v. People". Justia Law. October 9, 1951. p. 1.
  64. ^ "People v. Cullen". Stanford Law School.
  65. ^ "Ohio Farmer to Die For Love Triangle Plot". The Rocky Mountain News. January 18, 1951. p. 11.
  66. ^ "Police Chief Among 2 Killed". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. July 2, 1951. p. 1.
  67. ^ "Grays v. State". Justia Law.
  68. ^ "Dorsey v. State". Justia Law.
  69. ^ "People v. Chavez". FindLaw.
  70. ^ "Mouton v. State". Justia Law.
  71. ^ "State May Ask Death Penalty". The Spokesman-Review via newspapers.com. March 23, 1950. p. 2.
  72. ^ "Joyner v. Commonwealth". Justia Law.
  73. ^ "Commutation Is Denied Floyd Father of 6". The Spokesman-Review via newspapers.com. March 23, 1950. p. 2.
Preceded by
1950 		   List of people executed   
   in the United States in   
1951 		Succeeded by
1952
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.