Execution statute, with firing squad, heads to Miss governor

Associated Press ^ | Mar 28, 2017 7:56 PM EDT | Sarah Smith and Jeff Amy

[Olog-hai]

Lawmakers want Mississippi to change how it handles executions, with changes meant to overcome legal challenges to execution drugs, and possibly allow the state to use electrocution and the firing squad as death penalty methods.

The Senate agreed on Tuesday to changes to HB 638, sending it to Gov. Phil Bryant for his approval or veto after the House agreed Monday.

The measure lists four preferred execution methods. The first is lethal injection using a three-drug mixture. After that, in order, the bill specifies poison gas, electrocution and firing squad as execution methods.

The bill is a response to lawsuits tying up Mississippi executions. …

[Rembrandt]

There should be a 5th method for Muslim radicals - execution using hanging where only your toes touch the ground.

[jospehm20]

IIRC when Gilmore was executed in Utah the firing squad volunteers had to use .30 caliber rifles.

[diogenes ghost]

"Ol' Sparky is a scary way to be terminated....

Many, many years ago a TV show called "The Damon Runyan Theater" was a favorite of mine.

One episode had a couple of his typical third level goombahs lamenting the recent demise of one of their associates on "the old hot squatteroo."

[Seaplaner]

I sometimes listen to old radio broadcasts on Siriusxm, and I can always tell if it's a Damon Runyan script...

...no contractions in the dialog. (And often, quite entertaining.)

[central_va]

I’d volunteer for a suicide run at an ISIS hideout.

[diogenes ghost]

Many of his stories centered on horse racing touts, and the tout always would say "and a story goes with it".

One of his best was "Little Miss Marker", which was made into a movie with a very young Shirley Temple.

The quality of Runyan's writing made it suitable for print, radio, TV and movies. Good writing is hard to find, harder to forget.

[Oatka]

Ol’ sparky is a scary way to be terminated, and just might be a useful deterrent.

Back in the late '40s I was growing up in NYC (about 13 at the time).

The state sent a large truck into our neighborhood that had a dummy electric chair, with all the trappings, set up in the middle. Everybody came around to see it. The cops let you in one at a time and had you sit in it "to get the feel". Scared the spit out of all of us.

Can you imagine the hue and cry if that was done today?