Execution by firing squad is now legal in Utah.
Gov. Gary Herbert called the new law “a little bit gruesome” — but signed it anyway Monday, making Utah the only state to allow firing squads for executions when no legal injection drugs are available.
The Republican governor went through with the signing of the bill, calling Utah a capital punishment state that needs a backup execution method should a lethal injection drug shortage continue to exist. Herbert cited other states’ backup methods, such as hanging per inmate request in Washington, as another reason for the new law.
“We regret anyone ever commits the heinous crime of aggravated murder to merit the death penalty, and we prefer to use our primary method of lethal injection when such a sentence is issued,” Herbert spokesman Marty Carpenter said, adding that enforcing death sentences is “the obligation of the executive branch.”
The bill was put forth by Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield, who argued that trained marksmen are faster and more efficient than lethal injections, which are drawn-out both when they go as planned or when they go awry. He also said having a backup method now will be better for the future, so authorities are not racing to find another execution method should the drug shortage carry on.
Utah does not have any lethal injection drugs on hand.
Utah stopped offering inmates the choice of execution by firing squad in 2004. The last firing squad execution — Utah is the only state in the past 40 years to execute someone in such a method — was in 2010.
The next execution in Utah is likely a few years away: Ron Lafferty, the state’s longest serving death row inmate. Lafferty was convicted prior to 2004 and has already requested death by firing squad.
Doug Carter, the next Utah death row inmate up for execution, has chosen lethal injection. However, if the state does not have any lethal injection drugs 30 days prior to his scheduled execution, he would get the firing squad.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah said the new law makes the state “look backward and backwoods.”
(h/t the Associated Press)
