1. Texas — The Death Penalty Information Center re- ports that Texas has scheduled 13 executions between August and December, which is more than the rest of the U.S. combined. Two of the men have strong claims of innocence; two, authorities know did not kill anyone, and eight that show serious mental health problems.
2. USA — The Death Penalty Information Center re- ports that there have been 1,506 executions in the U.S. since 1976. The race of per- sons executed: 55.8% Black, 34.1% White, 8.5% Hispanic and 1.6% other. The race of the victims of those executed: 76% White; 15% Black, 7% Hispanic, 2% other. As of April 1, 2019, there were 2,673 people on Death Row in the U.S.: 42% Black, 42% White, 13% Hispanic, 3% other.
3. Missouri — Russell Bucklew was executed on Oct. 1 by lethal injection for killing a man in 1996.
4. Tennessee — The state’s attorney general has petitioned the state Supreme Court to set execution dates for nine Death Row prisoners, The Associated Press reports. The state has executed five people since it restored executions over a year ago. There were three people executed in the state last year.
5. Juneau, Alaska — A federal judge has signed a settlement agreement between the state’s correction department and two Muslim prisoners. Prison officials agreed to change the department’s policies to accommodate Muslim prisoners during the holy month of Ramadan and to perform Friday religious services and hold study groups, The Associated Press reports. The department also agreed to pay $102,500 in damages, costs and attorneys’ fees.
6. Michigan — A bill was introduced to prohibit the state from housing its prison- ers in private prisons. In an interview with The Center Square, state Sen. Jeff Irwin said, “The private prison industry was inherently im- moral because their financial incentive doesn’t match with the rehabilitation goal of the criminal justice system.” Ir- win also said that since the state has instituted criminal justice reform, the prison population has declined from a high of about 53,000 to around 38,000, and he intends to continue pushing the trend.
7. Madison, Wisconsin — There are 23 counties in the state that charge inmates for room and board for the time they are incarcerated, The Associated Press reports. At least 40 other states also mandate incarcerated people to pay daily room and board fees.
8. Nevada — Slightly more than 12% of the state’s prisoners were in solitary confinement from January 2016 through September 2017, the Las Vegas Sun reports. The Vera Institute of Justice reports that the state’s use of solitary confinement is more than double the national average.