<P> The last public execution in the U.S. was that of Rainey Bethea in Owensboro, Kentucky, on August 14, 1936 . </P> <P> It was the last execution in the nation at which the general public was permitted to attend without any legally imposed restrictions . "Public execution" is a legal phrase, defined by the laws of various states, and carried out pursuant to a court order . Similar to "public record" or "public meeting", it means that anyone who wants to attend the execution may do so . </P> <P> Around 1890, a political movement developed in the United States to mandate private executions . Several states enacted laws which required executions to be conducted within a "wall" or "enclosure", or to "exclude public view". Most states laws currently use such explicit wording to prohibit public executions, while others do so only implicitly by enumerating the only authorized witnesses . </P> <P> All states allow news reporters to be execution witnesses for information of the general public, except Wyoming which allow only witnesses authorized by the condemned . Several states also allow victims' families and relatives selected by the prisoner to watch executions . An hour or two before the execution, the condemned is offered religious services and to choose his last meal (except in Texas which abolished it in 2011). </P>

In what states in america is the death penalty still legal