Some US States to bring back Firing Squads for Death Penalty

Mr_Red · 27-05-2014 12:46PM #1

Two more American states are taking concrete steps towards restoring the firing squad for executions in response to shortages of drugs for lethal injection.

The botched execution of an Oklahoma inmate last month using a previously untried drug cocktail has prompted intense debate about how states carry out the death penalty.

Now state representatives in Wyoming have directed officials to draft a firing-squad bill to be brought before the next legislative session.

And in neighbouring Utah, a Republican senator said that he will introduce firing-squad legislation at the next session too. The state outlawed execution by firing squad for inmates condemned to death in 2004, although kept it as an option for convicts sentenced before that year.

The firing squad was once a common method of execution in the US. But just three prisoners have been executed by that manner in America since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976 and the firing squad is only on the statute books as a back-up option in two states.

Several states are now taking a fresh look at firing squads as lethal injection has become increasingly difficult after European pharmaceutical companies stopped exporting drug compounds used for the death penalty.

Tennessee has already passed a measure to reintroduce the electric chair and Missouri is considering a proposal that would allow the use of both gas chambers and firing squads.

The impact of the drugs' shortage was horrifically illustrated last month in Oklahoma when Clayton Lockett, a convicted murderer, finally died of a heart attack more than 40 minutes after officials started to administer an untried drug cocktail.

Death penalty opponents have argued that the restoration of the firing squad would breach the constitutional ban on "cruel and unusual" punishment.

Irish Independent

While I dont like the idea of the Death Penalty, This must be a horrific way to die as it cant be sure you will instantly die.

Do they keep some extra bullets if the first shots are unsuccessful?

The Pheasant2 · 27-05-2014 12:52PM

Mr_Red wrote: »

Do they keep some extra bullets if the first shots are unsuccessful?

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

A target is placed over the heart I think to ensure quick death.

The Diabolical Monocle · 27-05-2014 12:54PM

Surely a cattle bolt gun would be an amicable solution for all involved.

Alf. A. Male · 27-05-2014 12:55PM

Yes, America definitely needs more violence and guns to sort out their problems with violence and guns.

osarusan · 27-05-2014 12:56PM

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

I thought it was the other way round - only one blank, but still the uncertainty.

I know that in Japan, the trapdoor in a hanging is opened remotely, with three prison guards pressing buttons at the same time, to produce the same uncertainty over which button was actually the wired one.

henryporter · 27-05-2014 12:57PM

The Diabolical Monocle wrote: »

Surely a cattle bolt gun would be an amicable solution for all involved.

Cattle bolts also misfire, causing prolonged miserable death processes for their bovine victims.

Wossack · 27-05-2014 12:58PM

Mr_Red wrote: »

... and Missouri is considering a proposal that would allow the use of both gas chambers and firing squads.

Bit overkill, no?

Sugar Free · 27-05-2014 01:00PM

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

A target is placed over the heart I think to ensure quick death.

Pretty sure it's the other way around i.e. only one member is firing a blank, the rest use live ammunition. I believe the idea was because the firing squad was informed that there was one person with a blank, that they could hold out hope that it was they who had the blank ammunition.

Arthur Beesley · 27-05-2014 01:00PM

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

A target is placed over the heart I think to ensure quick death.

I read somewhere recently that it would be the other way around - one blank, the rest live rounds.

SEPT 23 1989 · 27-05-2014 01:00PM

Unless the people pulling the trigger walked into the room using a white stick and a guide dog I cant see how it is a "cruel and unusual" punishment.

o1s1n · 27-05-2014 01:00PM

Wossack wrote: »

Bit overkill, no?

I wonder how many execution styles you could enact simultaneously on one person?

Now there's a dark thought I really didn't need on a sunny Tuesday afternoon!

Beano · 27-05-2014 01:00PM

osarusan wrote: »

I thought it was the other way round - only one blank, but still the uncertainty.

That is how it is normally done. To give the firing squad some piece of mind that it wasnt their shot that killed. Except most experienced shooters could probably tell the difference between a blank and a live round.

curioser · 27-05-2014 01:01PM

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

A target is placed over the heart I think to ensure quick death.

I think it is the other way around - one member of the firing squad fires a blank so that each of them can believe that they did not fire the fatal shot.

No Pants · 27-05-2014 01:02PM

Should just have someone step out from behind a door one day as the inmate walks through and put one into the back of the inmates head. No need for a whole pile of fuss.

Arthur Beesley · 27-05-2014 01:02PM

Wossack wrote: »

Bit overkill, no?

Not really - better safe than sorry.

Beano · 27-05-2014 01:02PM

Wossack wrote: »

Bit overkill, no?

to be sure, to be sure

Beano · 27-05-2014 01:03PM

No Pants wrote: »

Should just have someone step out from behind a door one day as the inmate walks through and put one into the back of the inmates head. No need for a whole pile of fuss.

Thats how the chinese do it. and then bill the dead mans relatives for the cost of the bullet.

Sugar Free · 27-05-2014 01:03PM

Beano wrote: »

That is how it is normally done. To give the firing squad some piece of mind that it wasnt their shot that killed. Except most experienced shooters could probably tell the difference between a blank and a live round.

Just on this, I saw a documentary a while ago discussing this where they apparently used blank ammunition that was able to replicate the effects of live ammunition, including adequate recoil etc.

Only having very limited experience with firearms I'm not in a position to comment on how likely that is but I thought it was worth mentioning.

Where's Manic_Moran these days? His opinion would be useful here.

SpaceTime · 27-05-2014 01:03PM

The thing is that killing someone is always going to be a brutal and potentially violent act no matter how you try to santisise it with terms like 'lethal injection'.

I prefer Europe's approach of just not killing people! The state has to take the moral high ground and not this eye-for-an-eye vengeance approach.

The US and Japan are pretty much the only developed democracies that retain the death penalty and they keep some pretty dubious company - mostly China, Iran, Saudai Arabia etc

The only country in Europe and Central Asia to retain the death penalty is Belarus. Absolutely every other country (even Russia) has gotten rid of it.

SEPT 23 1989 · 27-05-2014 01:04PM

Beano wrote: »

Thats how the chinese do it. and then bill the dead mans relatives for the cost of the bullet.

that belongs in the Stinge thread:D

Custardpi · 27-05-2014 01:05PM

If I was ever unfortunate enough to have to choose between the firing squad & lethal injection I'd take the former every time. Several shots directly into the heart will kill you in a matter of seconds. Better that than being paralysed for 15 minutes or so while you feel your organs shutting down which is what may happen if the often improperly trained execution staff (doctors can't do it due to the Hippocratic oath) screw up the injection. Trained marksmen will always be better than that, even allowing for the possibility of a miss which is pretty remote.

Akrasia · 27-05-2014 01:06PM

Guillotine combined with those Mayan pyramids with the big stairs for the heads to roll down.

Put it on pay per view.

Arthur Beesley · 27-05-2014 01:06PM

Beano wrote: »

Thats how the chinese do it. and then bill the dead mans relatives for the cost of the bullet.

How much does a bullet cost in China? I hope for their sake that it is more expensive than a postage stamp. Otherwise this is just wasted bureaucracy.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 27-05-2014 01:07PM

The Pheasant2 wrote: »

Usually only one member of the squad fires a live round, the rest are firing blanks - it's done at random so nobody knows if they delivered the fatal shot or not.

A target is placed over the heart I think to ensure quick death.

osarusan wrote: »

I thought it was the other way round - only one blank, but still the uncertainty.

I know that in Japan, the trapdoor in a hanging is opened remotely, with three prison guards pressing buttons at the same time, to produce the same uncertainty over which button was actually the wired one.

Sugar Free wrote: »

Pretty sure it's the other way around i.e. only one member is firing a blank, the rest use live ammunition. I believe the idea was because the firing squad was informed that there was one person with a blank, that they could hold out hope that it was they who had the blank ammunition.

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

I read somewhere recently that it would be the other way around - one blank, the rest live rounds.

curioser wrote: »

I think it is the other way around - one member of the firing squad fires a blank so that each of them can believe that they did not fire the fatal shot.

What's going on?

No Pants · 27-05-2014 01:07PM

Beano wrote: »

Thats how the chinese do it. and then bill the dead mans relatives for the cost of the bullet.

I think I read about it happening in Lubyanka, Simon Sebag Montefiore was the author.

discus · 27-05-2014 01:07PM

[quote="Sugar Free;90570696"
Where's Manic_Moran these days? His opinion would be useful here.[/quote]

oi, he's not the only soldier on boards! Anyone with a bit of practice would know the difference between a blank round and a live round. It sounds different, it feels different and in my weapons example (sa80 a2 5.56) the expended round goes noticably further if its a blank round.

Beano · 27-05-2014 01:07PM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

How much does a bullet cost in China? I hope for their sake that it is more expensive than a postage stamp. Otherwise this is just wasted bureaucracy.

probably more symbolic than anything else.

Sunglasses Ron · 27-05-2014 01:08PM

Sugar Free wrote: »

that they could hold out hope that it was they who had the blank ammunition.

Beano wrote: »

That is how it is normally done. To give the firing squad some piece of mind that it wasnt their shot that killed. .

Hope? Peace of mind?

If you are volunteering for a firing squad you are generally not going to be too concerned about the morals of whether you took a life. If anything I should think it was to question the legitimacy of bragging rights.

No Pants · 27-05-2014 01:09PM

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

How much does a bullet cost in China? I hope for their sake that it is more expensive than a postage stamp. Otherwise this is just wasted bureaucracy.

I think they send them a load of forms to fill out too.

kowloon · 27-05-2014 01:10PM

Beano wrote: »

That is how it is normally done. To give the firing squad some piece of mind that it wasnt their shot that killed. Except most experienced shooters could probably tell the difference between a blank and a live round.

+1, The shooter would be able to tell, there's very little recoil from a blank. But nobody else would know for sure.

Sugar Free · 27-05-2014 01:11PM

discus wrote: »

oi, he's not the only soldier on boards! Anyone with a bit of practice would know the difference between a blank round and a live round. It sounds different, it feels different and in my weapons example (sa80 a2 5.56) the expended round goes noticably further if its a blank round.

Touché! (And thanks for your knowleadgable input).

Some US States to bring back Firing Squads for Death Penalty

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