Utah governor signs bill allowing executions by firing squad

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Los Angeles Times with Fairfax Media

Utah governor signs bill allowing executions by firing squad
Date March 24, 2015 - 10:38AM

James Queally

Inmates on Utah's death row can now be executed by a firing squad, under new legislation signed into law by Governor Gary Herbert on Monday.

The measure, which cleared the state Senate by an 18-10 vote this month, allows Utah to put inmates to death by firing squad if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed to conduct a lethal injection.

Utah uses a three-drug cocktail to perform lethal injections. State Representative Paul Ray, the Republican legislator who wrote the bill, has said the state no longer has access to pentobarbital, a barbiturate needed for the cocktail.

"Those who voiced opposition to this bill are primarily arguing against capital punishment in general, and that decision has already been made in our state," Marty Carpenter, a spokesman for Herbert, said in a statement.


Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/world/utah-governor-signs-bill-allowing-executions-by-firing-squad-20150324-1m6d55.html

[Purveyor]

1. Well, if it was my fate to be executed...firing squad would be my #1 choice.

Just saying...

[loudsue]

6. Mine, too.

Screw that injection cocktail stuff, frying, hanging or any of the other options.

[Nye Bevan]

7. Yeah, thrashing around on a gurney for a couple of hours or so

while they try to kill me with some dubious chemicals, is definitely scarier than an instant death courtesy of some professional marksmen. Lethal injection is all about pretending that it is clean and humane and above all bloodless, to avoid offending the sensibilities of the witnesses.

Of course the right thing to do would be for the US to abolish the medieval barbarity of capital punishment like most of the rest of the civilized world has done.

[KamaAina]

14. And of course, by tradition, one rifle is always filled with a blank

so the shooters can all have clear consciences. "Well, maybe mine was the blank..."

[No Vested Interest]

2. Barbaric. nt

[geomon666]

3. Yes!

One step closer to the Brazen Bull. Utah falling backwards in time.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Utah Gov. Herbert signs law allowing firing squad option for executions

Utah Gov. Herbert signs law allowing firing squad option for executions
Reuters
23 Mar 2015 at 21:47 ET


Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed a law on Monday that makes Utah the only U.S. state to authorize the use of firing squads for executions if lethal drugs are not available, his spokesman said.

The Republican-sponsored bill, which was passed by the state Senate earlier this month, was introduced amid national concerns about the efficacy of lethal injections.

“Those who voiced opposition to this bill are primarily arguing against capital punishment in general and that decision has already been made in our state,” Marty Carpenter, spokesman for the Republican governor, said in a statement.

Carpenter said the state preferred to use its primary method of lethal injection when a death penalty is issued.
“However, when a jury makes the decision and a judge signs a death warrant, enforcing that lawful decision is the obligation of the executive branch,” he said.

More:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/03/utah-gov-herbert-signs-law-allowing-firing-squad-option-for-executions/

[Major Hogwash]

5. " . . . makes Utah the only U.S. state . . ."

Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this makes no damn sense.
It's not like they have a huge backlog of executions to carry out to clear the calendar or something before the 2016 elections.

[T_i_B]

8. Utah turns to death by meat cleaver as firing squads run low on bullets

http://newsthump.com/2015/03/24/utah-turns-to-death-by-meat-cleaver-as-firing-squads-run-low-on-bullets/

Death row inmates in the American state of Utah face the prospect being hacked to death by enthusiastic executioners after a shortage of specialist bullets means firing squads may no longer be an option.

The news comes just days after the state was also forced to abandon lethal injection as their preferred method of execution due to similar shortages.

Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed the new law allowing death by meat cleaver on Tuesday morning.

He told reporters, “Yes, we would like to kill people as efficiently as possible, but we will not let shortages of the necessary tools limit our determination to end the lives of convicted criminals.”

[DippyDem]

9. Now the Mormon leaders will be happy

It's part of blood atonement, a belief that man can atone for his sins.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_atonement
Happy days are back now that they can go to heaven via firing squads.

[yellowcanine]

10. This may hasten the end of the death penalty, imo

No more pretending that there is a "humane" way to kill a perfectly healthy person.

Utah should take the next step and sell tickets and TV rights. Gun and ammo manufacturers could buy ads.

[PatrickforO]

11. Firing squad is the most humane way to execute someone. If it was me, that's how I'd want to go.

[jmowreader]

12. Turns out, this isn't much of an issue

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/category/categories/states/utah

Over the last five years, Utah prosecutors have only sought the death penalty seven times and have received no death sentences. They've executed one person in the last 13 years...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_death_row_inmates#Utah

The current Utah death row population is eight inmates, one of whom has been there nearly 30 years. Since 1800, Utah has only executed 49 inmates.

A combination of high cost to execute someone, victims' families desire to see cases wrapped up quickly, and the fact Mormons generally don't run around murdering people conspire to keep the number of executions low.

If this was Texas I'd buy stock in ATK and in Olin. But Utah? Just because they CAN now shoot people doesn't mean they're going to shoot people.

[samsingh]

13. even i'm shocked at this