Will Executions Begin Again in Louisiana?

SHREVEPORT, LA – Louisiana has a total of 58 inmates on death row. But the state has not executed an inmate in nearly 25 years. The last execution in the state was in 2010.

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19 of the death row inmates were sentenced to death for murders in northwest Louisiana.

The Angola facility at the Louisiana State Penitentiary is where the state's death row for men and execution chamber for both men and women are located.

All but one of the death row inmates are men. The one woman is Antoinette Frank of New Orleans. She was a police officer but committed a violent armed robbery at the Kim Anh restaurant in east New Orleans. Siblings Cuong Vu and Ha Vu were murdered and off duty officer Ronald Williams II was also gunned down during the holdup.

READ MORE: What Parishes have the most death row inmates?

Will Louisiana Begin Executions Again?

That is something Governor Jeff Landry has pledged to move on. Landry has signed a bill expanding death row execution methods. He says this is one of several measures he hopes will make Louisiana safer.

The death penalty legislation adds the use of nitrogen gas and electrocution as methods to carry out the death penalty. Most recently, Louisiana has relied on lethal injection. But there have been legal challenges over the drugs used and it has been difficult to obtain those drugs.

Supporters of the death penalty say it is time to mete out the justice that was promised to the families of murder victims in Louisiana.

But opponents believe gassing and electrocution could amount to cruel and unusual punishment.