Lawmakers in Utah voted 18-10 on Tuesday and passed a bill that would allow firing squads to be used for executions if they have a shortage of executive drugs.
Governor Gary Herbert hasn’t indicated if he will sign it or not but if he does Utah will be the only state to allow this type of execution method.Under the law, Utah will be required to use the firing squad only if lethal injection drugs are not available within 30 days of a scheduled execution.
Opponents are saying the firing squad is cruel and is from the Wild West days. Whereas the bills sponsor, Republican Paul Ray stated Utah needed an alternative from the lethal injection because there is always a shortage. He also argued a firing squad may be faster and more humane then drawn out deaths from botched legal injections.
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If lethal injections are declared unconstitutional a provision that is already in place in Utah would revive the firing squad anyway.
In 2010 Utah executed inmate Ronnie Lee Gardner by a firing squad. He had murdered a lawyer and seriously injured a bailiff. Gardner actually chose the firing square rather than lethal injection. BCC reported on the matter and stated:
None of the firing squad will ever know for sure if he fired a lethal short. One gun is loaded with a dummy, probably wax, bullet . . . The identities of the marksman – local law enforcement officers who have volunteered their services – will be protected forever.