There was a huge kerfuffle about it here when it happened. We had a law on the books that allowed it and the dude insisted on it, ostensibly for religious reasons. I can’t remember if we took the law off the books or not, but I hope we did. While nobody else knows who fired the killing shots, the people who did it know. If they’re the type that wants to kill, then I don’t want to give them the pleasure. If they’re not, I don’t want to make those people live with a violent death on their conscience. It’s fucked up, just like executions in general.
EDIT: Execution by firing squad had been removed in 2004, but anyone sentenced before then had it as an option. Gardner was grandfathered in.
I was told years ago that there are multiple shooters and some of them have blanks so they don’t actually who who fired the shot, I’m not sure how true that is.
I would think that if a person committed such a horrible crime that they got the death penalty it wouldn’t be so hard to participate in the execution. I personally have changed my view over the years. I would rather keep them in for life without parole. That’s a life more miserable than be executed
21st century and Utah is still killing people with firing squads.
There was a huge kerfuffle about it here when it happened. We had a law on the books that allowed it and the dude insisted on it, ostensibly for religious reasons. I can’t remember if we took the law off the books or not, but I hope we did. While nobody else knows who fired the killing shots, the people who did it know. If they’re the type that wants to kill, then I don’t want to give them the pleasure. If they’re not, I don’t want to make those people live with a violent death on their conscience. It’s fucked up, just like executions in general.
EDIT: Execution by firing squad had been removed in 2004, but anyone sentenced before then had it as an option. Gardner was grandfathered in.
I was told years ago that there are multiple shooters and some of them have blanks so they don’t actually who who fired the shot, I’m not sure how true that is.
Based on what I’ve read it seems like a firing squad is actually more humane than using drugs
True.
Although I wonder if it creates jailers who have to work extra hard to dehumanize people. So that’s probably not great.
I would think that if a person committed such a horrible crime that they got the death penalty it wouldn’t be so hard to participate in the execution. I personally have changed my view over the years. I would rather keep them in for life without parole. That’s a life more miserable than be executed