Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110

§3597 Use of State Facilities

Title 18 › PART II — CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › CHAPTER 228 — DEATH SENTENCE › § 3597

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

A U.S. marshal running an execution may use state or local facilities and staff and must pay their costs if the Attorney General approves the amount. Employees of state corrections, the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshals Service, or their contractors cannot be forced to attend or take part in an execution if it conflicts with their moral or religious beliefs. "Participation in executions" means preparing the condemned person, the equipment, or supervising others.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §3597

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

A United States marshal charged with supervising the implementation of a sentence of death may use appropriate State or local facilities for the purpose, may use the services of an appropriate State or local official or of a person such an official employs for the purpose, and shall pay the costs thereof in an amount approved by the Attorney General.

(b)Excuse of an Employee on Moral or Religious Grounds.—

No employee of any State department of corrections, the United States Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, or the United States Marshals Service, and no employee providing services to that department, bureau, or service under contract shall be required, as a condition of that employment or contractual obligation, to be in attendance at or to participate in any prosecution or execution under this section if such participation is contrary to the moral or religious convictions of the employee. In this subsection, “participation in executions” includes personal preparation of the condemned individual and the apparatus used for execution and supervision of the activities of other personnel in carrying out such activities.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 3597

Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110