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List of people executed in the United States in 1963

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Twenty-one people, all male, were executed in the United States in 1963, thirteen by electrocution, six by gas chamber, and two by hanging.[1]

The states of New York and New Jersey would carry out their final executions before abolishing capital punishment in 2004 and 2007 respectively. The United States federal government would also conduct their last execution in the pre-Furman v. Georgia era, with the next occurring in 2001. Furthermore, all pending executions at the end of the year were postponed due to the Assassination of John F. Kennedy.

List of people executed in the United States in 1963

[edit]
No. Date of execution Name Age of person Gender Ethnicity State Method Ref.
At execution At offense Age difference
1 January 3, 1963 Joe David Sneed 28 25 3 Male Black Texas Electrocution [2]
2 January 20, 1963 Bennie Lee McIntyre 20 18 2 [3]
3 January 22, 1963 Ralph James Hudson 43 41 New Jersey [4]
4 January 23, 1963 James Abner Bentley 27 25 White California Gas chamber [5]
5 February 15, 1963 Robert Harris Griffin 44 42 Black Ohio Electrocution [1]
6 February 20, 1963 Leo Daniel Luton Jr. 34 32 White Texas
7 March 8, 1963 Patrick Mahon McGee 55 52 3 Arizona Gas chamber [6]
8 March 14, 1963 Manuel Estrella Silvas 43 39 4 Hispanic
9 March 15, 1963 Victor Harry Feguer 27 25 2 White Federal government Hanging [7]
10 Donald Lawrence Reinbolt 29 27 Ohio Electrocution [1]
11 March 21, 1963 Frederick Charles Wood 51 48 3 New York [8]
12 March 29, 1963 Kenneth M. Slyter 28 27 1 Mississippi Gas chamber [9]
13 March 31, 1963 John Lavan Jr. 34 32 2 Black Texas Electrocution [10]
14 June 1, 1963 Richard Henry Dare 30 27 3 White Oklahoma [11]
15 June 14, 1963 Willie J. Anderson 22 20 2 Black Mississippi Gas chamber [12]
16 June 15, 1963 Eddie Lee Mays 34 32 New York Electrocution [13]
17 June 20, 1963 Joseph Chester Self 32 29 3 White Washington Hanging [14]
18 July 18, 1963 Charles H. Lee 33 30 Florida Electrocution [15]
19 July 26, 1963 Sammy Aire Tucker 28 26 2 Missouri Gas chamber [16]
20 October 4, 1963 Orleander Jones 19 Unknown Unknown Black Georgia Electrocution [1]
21 October 18, 1963 Ollie Chandler 18 17 1 [17]

Demographics

[edit]
Gender
Male 21 100%
Female 0 0%
Ethnicity
White 11 52%
Black 9 43%
Hispanic 1 5%
State
Texas 4 19%
Arizona 2 10%
Georgia 2 10%
Mississippi 2 10%
New York 2 10%
Ohio 2 10%
California 1 5%
Federal government 1 5%
Florida 1 5%
Missouri 1 5%
New Jersey 1 5%
Oklahoma 1 5%
Washington 1 5%
Method
Electrocution 13 62%
Gas chamber 6 29%
Hanging 2 10%
Month
January 4 19%
February 2 10%
March 7 33%
April 0 0%
May 0 0%
June 4 19%
July 2 10%
August 0 0%
September 0 0%
October 2 10%
November 0 0%
December 0 0%
Age
10–19 2 10%
20–29 8 38%
30–39 6 29%
40–49 3 14%
50–59 2 10%
Total 21 100%

Executions in recent years

[edit]
Number of executions
1964 15
1963 21
1962 47
Total 83

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Executions in the U.S. 1608-2002: The ESPY File" (PDF). Death Penalty Information Center. Retrieved June 17, 2025.
  2. ^ "Rapist Electrocuted in Texas Prison". Stockton Evening and Sunday Record via newspapers.com. January 3, 1963. p. 8.
  3. ^ "Caprock Chronicles: Lynn County case among last rape executions". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. November 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "Last Execution in Jersey Took Life of Murderer Who Didn't Want to Live". The New York Times. December 5, 1976.
  5. ^ "People v. Bentley". Stanford Law School.
  6. ^ "Killer Silvas Dies In State Gas Chamber". Tucson Citizen via newspapers.com. March 14, 1963. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Recalling Last Federal Execution". ABC News. April 27, 2001.
  8. ^ "Milestones: Mar. 29, 1963". Time Magazine. March 29, 1963.
  9. ^ "Executed". Enterprise-Journal via newspapers.com. March 29, 1963. p. 3.
  10. ^ "Summary of the execution of John Lavan Jr". M. E. Grenander Special Collections and Archives. March 31, 1963.
  11. ^ "Dare v. State". Justia Law.
  12. ^ "Negro Dies In Parchman Gas Chamber For Murder". The Greenwood Commonwealth via newspapers.com. June 14, 1963. p. 1.
  13. ^ "The Last Electrocution". The New York Times. March 7, 1995.
  14. ^ "Joseph Self Dies on Gallows at State Penitentiary". The Bellingham Herald via newspapers.com. June 20, 1963. p. 3.
  15. ^ "Lee v. State". Justia Law.
  16. ^ "State v. Tucker". Justia Law.
  17. ^ "Siblings work to clear their brother's name". The Valdosta Daily Times. December 6, 2005.
Preceded by
1962 		   List of people executed   
   in the United States in   
1963 		Succeeded by
1964
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