Utah May End Executions by Firing Squad (Drats!)

Associated Press ^ | 2-19-2004 | Associated Press

[sonofatpatcher2]

Utah May End Executions by Firing Squad

Reporters look at the chair where John Albert Taylor was later strapped into and executed in by a firing squad, during a media tour of the execution chamber in Utah State Prison at Point of the Mountain, Utah, Jan. 24, 1996. The Utah Senate approved a bill Thursday, Feb. 19, 2004, that would eliminate firing squad executions - used most recently here in 1996 - unless lethal injection executions are found unconstitutional. There has not been an execution by firing squad in the United States since Taylor's execution in 1996.

Utah moved toward eliminating firing squads Thursday and executing condemned prisoners only by injection, as the Senate approved a bill banning the controversial punishment.

The bill passed 16-9 and returns to the House for approval of minor Senate amendments.

Democratic Sen. Ron Allen said allowing murderers to choose firing squads so they can "go out in a blaze of glory" perversely made heroes of criminals and caused victims' families more pain.

Arguing against the bill, Sen. Dave Thomas, a Republican, said media circuses are "exactly what we want" in executions.

"We don't want these sentences to be carried out in the dead of night so no one knows," he said, adding that lethal injection was painless and "the easy way out."

[sonofatpatcher2]

Gad! Those Latter Day Saints are going soft...

Next thing you know, they'll be voting for the Kerry/Fonda Ticket!

[socal_parrot]

"Ready, aim, fire!!!"

Has become...

"You going to feel a bit of a prick."

[Sofa King]

Personally, I don't see what's wrong with a single bullet to the back of the head. Use a round just powerful enough so that it enters the skull, but cannot break through the other side to exit (thus bouncing around in the skull to assure death).

[sittnick]

If I had to choose for myself, I would select firing squad.

In any event, I would rather have several marksmen, none of whom knows if he has live ammo, making the shot, than get a doctor involved in executions.

I think it is better to leave doctors out of the killing business, even when it is justified.

[Young Rhino]

Next thing you know, they'll be voting for the Kerry/Fonda Ticket!

Hatch is just as bad.

[MilspecRob]

"lethal injection was painless and "the easy way out."

Perhaps its just me but I would much prefer the squad over being strapped down to a table with a IV in my arm, slowly feeling life ebb away

Even the rope would seem "cleaner" than the IV

Don't really have any plan's for either I might add!

[CtBigPat]

Better to die like a man than put to sleep like a dog!

[rogator]

What ever happened to blood atonement?