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The Death Penalty in Arkansas

How Arkansas law treats death penalty, from the state code and official state agencies.

Short answer: Arkansas has the death penalty. Capital murder (for example premeditated and deliberated murder, murder during listed felonies such as rape, kidnapping, robbery or burglary, murder for hire, and premeditated murder of law enforcement officers and other listed officials) is punished by… Ark. Code § 5-10-101(a), (c); § 5-4-615 and § 5-4-617(a), (m), (n) as amended by Act 302 of 2025; Act 662 of 2025 (§ 5-14-114)

Death penaltyArkansas has the death penalty. Capital murder (for example premeditated and deliberated murder, murder during listed felonies such as rape, kidnapping, robbery or burglary, murder for hire, and premeditated murder of law enforcement officers and other listed officials) is punished by death or life imprisonment without parole for defendants 18 or older; defendants under 18 face life with parole eligibility after at least 30 years. Under Act 662 of 2025, capital rape of a child 13 or younger under listed aggravating circumstances can also be punished by death or life without parole if the defendant was 18 or older. Act 302 of 2025 (approved March 18, 2025) allows executions by lethal injection or nitrogen gas, with electrocution if both are invalidated by a final court order, and provides that a death sentence is not reduced if a method is declared unconstitutional.
Capital murder from https://codes.findlaw.com/ar/title-5-criminal-offenses/ar-code-sect-5-10-101/ (Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Mirror pages state they are current as of March 28, 2024.
Source: Ark. Code § 5-10-101(a), (c); § 5-4-615 and § 5-4-617(a), (m), (n) as amended by Act 302 of 2025; Act 662 of 2025 (§ 5-14-114)

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FAQ

Does Arkansas have the death penalty?
Arkansas has the death penalty. Capital murder (for example premeditated and deliberated murder, murder during listed felonies such as rape, kidnapping, robbery or burglary, murder for hire, and premeditated murder of law enforcement officers and other listed officials) is punished by death or life imprisonment without parole for defendants 18 or older; defendants under 18 face life with parole eligibility after at least 30 years. Under Act 662 of 2025, capital rape of a child 13 or younger under listed aggravating circumstances can also be punished by death or life without parole if the defendant was 18 or older. Act 302 of 2025 (approved March 18, 2025) allows executions by lethal injection or nitrogen gas, with electrocution if both are invalidated by a final court order, and provides that a death sentence is not reduced if a method is declared unconstitutional.

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.