List of people executed in the United States in 1985

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Eighteen people, all male, were executed in the United States in 1985, eleven by electrocution, and seven by lethal injection. [1] [2] Charles Rumbaugh became the first of 22 juvenile offenders to be executed in the United States in the modern before the Supreme Court banned capital punishment for juvenile offenders under Roper v. Simmons in 2005.

Contents

List of people executed in the United States in 1985

No.Date of executionNameAge of personGenderEthnicityStateMethodRef.
At executionAt offenseAge difference
1January 4, 1985 David Dene Martin 32257MaleWhite Louisiana Electrocution [3]
2January 9, 1985Roosevelt Green Jr.28208Black Georgia [4]
3January 11, 1985 Joseph Carl Shaw 29227White South Carolina [5]
4January 16, 1985Doyle Edward Skillern483810 Texas Lethal injection [6]
5January 30, 1985James David Raulerson34259 Florida Electrocution [7]
6February 20, 1985 Van Roosevelt Solomon 41356BlackGeorgia [8]
7March 6, 1985 Johnny Paul Witt 423012WhiteFlorida [9]
8March 13, 1985 Stephen Peter Morin 344TexasLethal injection [10]
9March 20, 1985John C. Young281810BlackGeorgiaElectrocution [11]
10April 18, 1985 James Dyral Briley Jr. 235 Virginia [12]
11May 15, 1985Jesse De La Rosa24186HispanicTexasLethal injection [13]
12May 29, 1985 Marvin Francois 39318BlackFloridaElectrocution [14]
13June 25, 1985Charles Milton3426TexasLethal injection [15]
14 Morris Odell Mason 31247VirginiaElectrocution [16]
15July 9, 1985Henry Martinez Porter433310HispanicTexasLethal injection [17]
16September 11, 1985Charles Francis Rumbaugh281711White [18]
17October 16, 1985 William Earl Vandiver 37343 Indiana Electrocution [19]
18December 6, 1985 Carroll Edward Cole 47398 Nevada Lethal injection [20]
Average:35 years27 years8 years

Demographics

Gender
Male18
Female0
Ethnicity
White9
Black7
Hispanic2
State
Texas 6
Florida 3
Georgia 3
Virginia 2
Indiana 1
Louisiana 1
Nevada 1
South Carolina 1
Method
Electrocution 11
Lethal injection 7
Month
January5
February1
March3
April1
May2
June2
July1
August0
September1
October1
November0
December1
Age
20–296
30–397
40–495
Total18100%

Executions in recent years

Number of executions
1986 18
198518
1984 21
Total57

References

  1. "Execution List 1976-1986". Death Penalty Information Center . Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  2. "U.S. Executions Since 1976". The Clark County Prosecuting Attorney. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  3. "One-Time Sidewalk Evangelist Executed for Murders of Four". Los Angeles Times. January 4, 1985.
  4. "Roosevelt Green is executed while mother watches". UPI. January 9, 1985.
  5. "Former Altar Boy Executed in S. Carolina". Los Angeles Times. January 12, 1985.
  6. "CONVICT IN TEXAS DIES BY INJECTION". The New York Times. January 16, 1985.
  7. "FLORIDA EXECUTES KILLER OF OFFICER". The New York Times. January 31, 1985.
  8. "Van Roosevelt Solomon, a former minister who was once..." UPI. February 20, 1985.
  9. "SLAYER OF TAMPA BOY ELECTROCUTED IN FLORIDA". The New York Times. March 7, 1985.
  10. "MURDERER OF THREE WOMEN IS EXECUTED IN TEXAS". The New York Times. March 14, 1985.
  11. "GEORGIA CONVICT IS EXECUTED FOR 3 FATAL BEATINGS IN 1974". The New York Times. March 20, 1985.
  12. "James Briley Dies In Electric Chair". The Washington Post. April 18, 1985.
  13. "PRISONER IN TEXAS DIES FOR MURDER". The New York Times. May 16, 1985.
  14. "FLORIDA PRISONER DIES FOR SLAYINGS". The New York Times. May 30, 1985.
  15. "Charles Milton, who shot and killed a woman during..." UPI. June 25, 1985.
  16. "'Killer for Eastern Shore' Executed After Gov. Robb Denies Final Pleas". The Washington Post. June 26, 1985.
  17. "KILLER PUT TO DEATH IN TEXAS". The New York Times. July 10, 1985.
  18. "TEXAN PUT TO DEATH FOR A MURDER COMMITTED AT 17". The New York Times. September 12, 1985.
  19. "Killer's Electrocution Takes 17 Minutes in Indiana Chair". The Washington Post. October 17, 1985.
  20. "CONFESSED MURDERER OF 13 IS EXECUTED IN NEVADA". The New York Times. December 7, 1985.
Preceded by
1984
   List of people executed   
   in the United States in   
1985
Succeeded by
1986