Death Penalty
Utah lawmakers approve firing squads as execution back-up method
Utah lawmakers on Tuesday gave final approval to a bill authoring executions to be carried out by firing squads if lethal injection drugs aren’t available.
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert has not indicated whether he will sign the bill, report Reuters and the Associated Press.
Utah had allowed inmates to choose firing squads before the legislature approve lethal injections in 2004, AP says. Inmates sentenced before the new law took effect still had the option of firing squad executions.
Ronnie Lee Gardner was the last Utah inmate to die by firing squad when he was executed in 2010. He was convicted of killing a lawyer during an attempted escape at a Salt Lake City courthouse.
