Stops and Starts for Executions

A timeline of the death penalty in Maryland:

- 1972: U.S. Supreme Court halts the death penalty in 40 states, including Maryland.

- 1975: Law reinstating Maryland death penalty goes into effect.

- 1976: Supreme Court approves return of the death penalty but strikes down 1975 Maryland law.

- 1978: General Assembly passes death penalty statute in line with court guidelines.

- 1994: John Thanos becomes first person executed in Maryland since reinstatement of death penalty.

- 1997: F. Gregory Hunt is executed.

- 1998: Tyrone Gilliam is executed.

- 2002: Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) declares a moratorium on the death penalty pending a University of Maryland study of racial bias.

- 2003: Newly elected Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. lifts moratorium.

- 2004: Steven Oken is executed.

- 2005: Wesley Baker is executed.

- 2006: Court of Appeals stalls future executions with ruling that parts of Maryland's execution manual were not adopted correctly.

SOURCE: Associated Press