America Has Never Shown a Lawful Execution on TV
There is no known case of another nation streaming one, and Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan are among the countries that have held public executions lately.
Reuters World News · US execution livestream, Nobel peace prize and a Siberian plague scareThe United States has never shown a lawful execution on television. The government's plan to stream one live would break with that history.
The case involves former Army psychiatrist Nidal Hasan, found guilty over the 2009 Fort Hood attack that left 13 people dead. His death by firing squad is set for December 3 at the same Texas installation where the shooting happened, in a broadcast to be carried via X, the social platform formerly called Twitter. Trump gave the go-ahead after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended it.
There is no known case of another nation streaming an execution live. Public executions themselves have become rare worldwide, with Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan among the countries that have held them lately.
Questions people ask
Why haven't executions been televised in the U.S. before?
Most states ban cameras and outside witnesses beyond a small official group, and courts have generally upheld those limits. Judges have ruled that the public and press do not have a First Amendment right to televise an execution. Concerns about dignity, security, and the risk of sensationalism have also kept broadcasts from happening.
Did America ever hold public executions?
Yes. Through the 19th century, hangings often drew large crowds in towns and counties. States moved executions inside prisons and jails between the 1830s and 1930s, partly to control crowds and partly over concerns about disorder and cruelty. The last fully public execution in the U.S. is generally dated to 1936 in Kentucky.
Why use a firing squad?
Supporters argue it is quick and reliable compared with lethal injection, which has faced drug shortages and botched procedures. Only a few states allow it, usually as a backup method. The military has long retained it in its rules, though it has not carried out any execution since 1961.