Hood Urges Hinojosa to Halt Texas Executions

Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood asked Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to stop executions in Texas at a Monday press conference.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Criminal Justice

Hood Urges Hinojosa to Halt Texas Executions

Live Poll

Should Texas pause executions while its new governor reviews the death penalty?

Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, founder of the Execution Intervention Project, asked Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa to stop executions in the state. Hood outlined a list of requests for Hinojosa at a press conference on Monday.

Why it matters

Texas has executed more people than any other state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1973, and 603 people have been executed in Texas since 1976. Hood said the size of the execution pipeline makes case-by-case review impossible at the current pace.

Texas has carried out 603 executions since 1976, the most of any state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1973. Hood requested a 30-day reprieve on each execution for review, and whether Hinojosa will act on that request is not yet known.

The players

Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood

Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood is a Texas-based clergyman and founder of the Execution Intervention Project, which has been present at executions across the United States.

Gina Hinojosa

Gina Hinojosa is a Texas politician who was elected governor and takes office as the state's chief executive after expressing personal opposition to the death penalty.

The details

Hood presented a plan and a list of asks to Governor-elect Hinojosa, including a request for a moratorium on executions starting on her first day in office. Hinojosa said in an October CNN interview that she does not personally support the death penalty and would take executions on a case-by-case basis as governor. ABC-7 reached out to Hinojosa for an interview.

October: Hinojosa gives CNN interview saying she does not personally support the death penalty.
Monday: Hood holds press conference outlining his plan and requests for Hinojosa.
Day one of Hinojosa's term: Hood asks for a moratorium on executions.

Legal Context

Texas has executed 603 people since 1976, a record that has made it the leading state for executions since the death penalty was reinstated in 1973. Hood's request asks a new governor to break from that long pattern of carrying out executions.

If Hinojosa adopts a moratorium or case-by-case review, pending executions in Texas could be delayed or halted. Residents and families affected by capital cases would see any change in how the state handles scheduled executions.

The takeaway

A governor's personal stance on capital punishment can shape whether executions proceed, so tracking a new administration's decisions on pending cases is useful for anyone following Texas criminal justice.