# When was the last execution in the USA that was for an offense other than murder?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 1, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910 "2006-05-01T03:09:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AnabolicDoberman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnabolicDoberman)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/1 "2006-05-01T03:09:00Z")
The only one I can think of was he Rosenbergs. Any more recent executions for crimes other than murder in the US?
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### Author:  [@Malodorous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malodorous)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/2 "2006-05-01T03:29:19Z")
James Coburn, for robbery, in 1964.
From [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States#Crimes_subject_to_death_penalty)
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/3 "2006-05-01T03:50:25Z")
[url=]Assuming this link is current, for the US military:
> [@](#):
>
> On April 13, 1961, U.S. Army Private John A. Bennett was hanged after being convicted of rape and attempted murder. (R. Serrano, “Last Soldier to Die at Levenworth Hanged in an April Storm,” Los Angeles Times, 7/12/94).
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### Author:  [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/4 "2006-05-01T03:55:13Z")
Let’s try that again:
[Assuming this link is current, for the US military](http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?did=180&scid=32):
> [@](#):
>
> On April 13, 1961, U.S. Army Private John A. Bennett was hanged after being convicted of rape and attempted murder.
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### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/5 "2006-05-01T09:25:11Z")
> [@Malodorous](#):
>
> James Coburn, for robbery, in 1964.
>
> From [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_the_United_States#Crimes_subject_to_death_penalty)
According to Alabama’s website, he was executed for 1st degree murder.
[http://www.doc.state.al.us/execution.htm](http://www.doc.state.al.us/execution.htm)
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### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/6 "2006-05-01T13:19:47Z")
For what it’s worth the last _public_ execution in the US wasn’t for murder. Rainey Bethea was hanged (hung?) in Kentucky in 1937 after he was convicted of rape. Of course he also killed his victim, but was only charged with rape so he could be publically executed.
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### Author:  [@misterdls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misterdls)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/7 "2006-05-01T13:31:28Z")
How about Caryl Chessman - May 2, 1960?
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryl\_Chessman](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caryl_Chessman)
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### Author:  [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2006, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-was-the-last-execution-in-the-usa-that-was-for-an-offense-other-than-murder/354910/8 "2006-05-01T15:11:07Z")
List of executions [PDF document](http://deathpenaltyinfo.org/ESPYdate.pdf)
It lists James Coburn as executed for robbery. The last one before that was Ronald Wolfe executed 8 May 1964 for rape.
In 1972 when the death penalty was abolished (temporarily) there were 80 rapists and 4 armed robbers on Death Row.
The death penalty for rape was ruled unconstitutional in \*Coker Vs Georgia 1972 \*