Firing squad to be used as primary death penalty punishment after inmate survived lethal injection despite 8 attempts

DEATH by firing squad is slated to become the primary method of execution in one state after a series of botched lethal injections.

Lawmakers are pushing to prioritize the violent execution after one inmate survived eight lethal injection attempts.

Idaho Maximum Security Institution execution chamber.
Idaho lawmakers are pushing to make firing squads the standard for executions after an inmate at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution survived eight lethal injectionsCredit: AP
Idaho Maximum Security Institution with snow-capped mountains in the background.
Under the newly proposed bill, death row inmates in Idaho would be shot to deathCredit: AP

A new proposal put forth by Idaho Representative Bruce Skaug aims to enhance current laws permitting death by firing squad when lethal injections are unavailable.

Under his proposal, prison officials would use a firing squad as their lead option rather than as a last-ditch effort.

The bill came 11 months after Thomas Creech, a 73-year-old serial killer, sat through eight injection attempts but walked away alive.

Executioners couldn’t find a vein for an IV and returned the criminal, who confessed to 42 murders, back to prison where he awaits his fate.

Another botched injection took place in Alabama in 2022, when prison workers tried to insert an IV into Joe Nathan James Jr.’s veins for three hours.

An autopsy revealed puncture marks and cuts on his hands, wrists, arms, and feet after he was finally put to death.

Recently, an Alabama convict named Kenneth Smith experienced a prolonged ordeal on a medical cot as medical staff faced challenges in locating a suitable vein for his injection.

He was later put to death by nitrogen gas in the first-ever execution using that method.

Lawyers representing Creech are now fighting for a life sentence for him due to the botched injection, and his execution has been suspended.

In a meeting with legislators, Skaug, a Republican, joined Senator Doug Ricks to present the bill.

He argued the firing squad was a more humane execution method, and said it has less of an economic impact on the state.

“This is how we carry out justice,” Skaug told state legislators on Tuesday.

“In some cases, the juries have already decided or the judges that this is an appropriate death penalty case for some people.

“And so our job is to make sure it’s carried out in the most efficient manner.”

Four other states have a firing squad as a backup execution method – Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, and South Carolina.

However, Idaho would be the only state in the country to prioritize the shooting deaths.

The last inmate to be killed by a firing squad was Ronnie Gardner in Utah in 2010.

Gardner killed a man while trying to escape a Utah courthouse in 1985, and chose to die by gunfire.

What states have the death penalty?

  • Montana
  • Idaho
  • Wyoming
  • Utah
  • Nevada
  • Arizona
  • South Dakota
  • Nebraska
  • Kansas
  • Oklahoma
  • Texas
  • Kentucky
  • Tennessee
  • Missouri
  • Louisiana
  • Arkansas
  • Georgia
  • Alabama
  • Mississippi
  • Florida
  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
  • Indiana

During firing squad executions, individuals are usually secured in a chair with leather restraints and positioned in front of a canvas barrier, as outlined by the Death Penalty Information Center.

A hood is placed over the inmate’s head, and sandbags are placed around the chair to catch their blood. A white cloth is placed over their heart as a target for the executioners.

Five gunmen will stand in an enclosure set up about 20 feet away, and take aim with .30 caliber rifle loaded with a single round.

After the prisoner is shot, they will most likely die from blood loss. Once enough blood drains from their brain, they’ll go unconscious.

If their heart isn’t struck by gunfire, the killing can be a lengthy process.

The firing squad bill is expected to come before a committee sometime in the next week.

You May Also Like

Bus driver in London charged with driving under the influence of drugs and causing death through reckless driving following the tragic accident involving a nine-year-old girl.

A London bus driver has been charged with drug-driving after a little…

Donald Trump displays his mug shot outside the Oval Office, claiming it is the best booking photo ever taken.

DONALD Trump’s infamous mug shot has been spotted in a frame hanging…

Kerry Katona Flaunts Stunning Two-Stone Weight Loss in Red Bikini During Solo Valentine’s Day in Thailand After Split from Fiancé Ryan Mahoney

Kerry Katona has had her fair share of ups and downs in…

Russian State Media Directed to Stop Discussing Donald Trump and Portray Him as Weak

THE Kremlin has reportedly given the Russian state media a Soviet-style guide…

Lookout: FBI Looking for Information on 14-Year-Old Girl Missing in Colorado

Police in Colorado are searching for missing 14-yea-old girl who hasn’t been…

“Why Joe Rogan believes he has no competition from the ‘deceitful’ left”

Joe Rogan has defiantly declared there will never be a figure like…

Sun reporter Jerome Starkey flies on Wildcat chopper to intercept Russian warship in tense English Channel encounter

THIS is the moment Sun Man Jerome Starkey joined Royal Navy gunboats…

USPS customers angered by mailman’s disrespectful behavior caught on camera, agency’s response deemed confusing.

USPS customers are raging after a mailman was caught on camera flinging…

“Stay Informed: Latest Map Shows Areas at Risk of Freezing Rain, Snow, and Ice in Britain within Hours”

Rare freezing rain could hit parts of northern England along with snow…

British motorcycling couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman detained in Iran during their global adventure

A BRITISH couple being held prisoner by the Iranian regime has been…

23-year-old Fortnite player stabs 11-year-old girl to death after getting angry during video game.

A SCHOOLGIRL was knifed to death by a video game player who…

MAFS Star Ella Morgan Shares Post-Hair Transplant Surgery Update with Fans

MAFS star Ella Morgan shows fans the aftermath of hair transplant surgery,…