A Gallup poll has revealed the drop in support, the lowest in 40 years since 1972 when 57 per cent favoured it.
According to the company, Americans have supported the death penalty by a wide margin with only one year, 1966, seeing opposition exceeding support by 47 per cent to 42 per cent. The polling company says the current decline may be due to several states imposing moratoriums on the penalty after several death penalty inmates were later found to be innocent.