James Allen Red Dog (February 1, 1954 – March 3, 1993) was a mixed Sioux and Assiniboine serial killer from Fort Peck Indian Reservation who was executed at his own request for murdering Hugh Pennington and who had previously been convicted twice of armed robbery.

As a result of his crimes, then-Senator Joe Biden introduced legislation that required states to be notified by federal officials when dangerous criminals were placed in their jurisdictions.

According to a family acquaintance, who asked not to be named, at age 8 or 10 Red Dog tried to emulate the lifestyle of an older half-brother whom he admired, who as of 1993 was in a federal prison.

[3] Delaware deputy attorneys Steven P. Wood and Peggy J. Hageman, who prosecuted Red Dog, tried and failed to find a motive.

[8] According to Wood, attributing Red Dog's behavior to his upbringing is too easy: "There is no denying the privation Native Americans are subjected to on reservations, but the simple fact is there are hundreds of thousands of Native Americans raised in those conditions, and precious few become multiple murders", he said, as well as that his killings were "essentially motiveless".

[3] Red Dog tied his wrists and ankles with duct tape and electrical cord,[3] and forced him to lie on his back on the floor,[8] then cut his throat.

[6] His lawyers, who were public defenders, filed a motion asking the court to order psychiatric and psychological tests to determine if he was mentally competent to request execution; Judge Norman A. Barron said that he found "no substantial showing that Red Dog is currently incompetent" and that the court would respect Red Dog's "rationally based wishes".

[8][6] Red Dog sent for John H. Morsette, 52, a tribal medicine man he said he met almost a decade before at a Native American purification ceremony in Montana.

Morsette, also from Poplar, Montana, said he did not remember meeting Red Dog but would come to pray with him to prepare him for the Sioux afterlife.

[4] Red Dog was executed by lethal injection on March 3 at the State Correctional Center near Smyrna, Delaware, 15 miles (24 km) north of Dover.

[3][6] After receiving last rites from Morsette, Red Dog said "I'd like to thank my family and friends and [attorney Edward] Pankowski for supporting me and all others who treated me with kindness".

He was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m.[4] Red Dog's body was released to be transported by Amtrak train in Wilmington, Delaware to Wolf Point, Montana shortly thereafter.

[13][14][15] Steven Wood, Delaware state prosecutor, said that an earlier execution would have saved the lives of four of Red Dog's victims.

[16] As a result of Red Dog's crimes, then-Delaware Senator Joe Biden introduced legislation that required federal officials to notify states when dangerous criminals were placed in their jurisdictions.