[bedolido]

Back in the 70's or early 80's, a serial killer was executed in Utah. They used the firing squad. I can't remember the guys name, but I do remember the execution made national news.

[Billthedrill]

Gary Gilmore. Quite a case.

[glock rocks]

gary gilmore?

[GovernmentShrinker]

This Utah law has religious origins in the old Mormon doctrine of blood atonement. Since there are a significant number of Utahns who still believe in this doctrine (mostly members of the fringe fundamentalist Mormon groups, and not of the main LDS Church), it's reasonable to provide this method as an option (especially since members of those fringe groups seem disproportionately inclined to commit capital crimes). Attempting to remove it as an option is likely to lead to some long drawn-out lawsuits in which condemned convicts make a not entirely frivolous argument that their religious rights are being violated if they are not given a "blood atonement" option. Hence abolishing the option would serve little purpose except to delay the imposition of some death sentences.

For more detail: http://www.realmormonhistory.com/blood_atonement.htm