Idaho Becomes Latest State to Allow Death by Firing Squad

What You Need To Know!

• Idaho has joined a few other US states in allowing death by firing squad as a form of execution.
• The decision came after a shortage of lethal injection drugs delayed the execution of a death row inmate.
• Supporters argue that it’s a quicker and more humane option, while opponents claim it could be painful and traumatizing.

On March 24, Republican Governor Brad Little signed a bill into law allowing death by firing squad as a means of execution in Idaho. The decision came after the state was forced to stay the execution of Gerald Pizzuto Jr. due to a shortage of drugs required for lethal injection.

Pizzuto has spent more than 30 years on death row for the 1985 murders of Berta Herndon and her nephew Del Herndon.

Idaho joins a handful of other US states that allow death by firing squad, including Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. However, South Carolina’s law is currently being challenged legally.

Supporters of firing squads argue that it’s a quicker and more humane option compared to lethal injection, while opponents claim it could be severely painful and traumatizing for the individual being executed and for the executioners involved.

Republican Gov. Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. https://t.co/oFCRke4qNV— The Associated Press (@AP) March 25, 2023

Pharmaceutical companies have been raising issues with their drugs being used for capital punishment, as they were originally developed with the intent to save lives. This has caused a nationwide shortage of drugs typically used for lethal injections, forcing some states to consider alternative methods of execution.

In the final months of Donald Trump’s presidency, the sedative pentobarbital was selected as a replacement for lethal drugs used previously for executions carried out by the federal government.

Governor Little wrote in a letter that “fulfilling justice can and must be done by minimizing stress on corrections personnel,” and that it’s the responsibility of the state of Idaho to ensure that lawful criminal sentences are carried out.

He also stated that he has supported capital punishment throughout his life in public service, adding that “the families of the victims deserve justice for their loved ones and the death penalty is a way to bring them peace.”

Source: dailycaller.com