In 2010, Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by five Utah police officers armed with .30-caliber Winchester rifles. There are only four bullet holes in the back of the chair so I am assuming that one of the officers was issued a blank. Or he forgot his glasses.
Once again, Utah seeks to use inexpensive, reliable American-manufactured munitions to carry out justice.
Utah is one step closer to once again using firing squads to carry out executions after a highly-contested proposal passed a key vote in the state's Legislature.
Before the vote ultimately passed in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives by a 39-34 margin yesterday morning, three missing lawmakers were summoned to break a tie.
The state voted to stop allowing prisoners to choose death by firing squad in 2004.
For the executed prisoner's loved ones, a lovely memorial 5-round box of
remanufactured .30 cal ammo is available using the very same brass.
Story here.
9 comments:
Nope, not a miss. One man is always issued a blank. None of the shooters know which one is blank. I suppose it is to ease the conscience, or the intent. What I have found if, as a group, we did something terrible, right or wrong, but didn't know who... it was easier to all claim the guilt, and deal with it. Then again, I don't think the people who write laws have a damn clue about some things, including this. Though too, that seems to be a tradition for firing squads... if based on laws written, again, by men who know nothing. Just my two cents.
I don't mind the death penalty, i just think it should be slightly (greatly) more inclusive... pedophiles, serial rapists and murderers, and shooting at cops (unless it can be shown to be justified, literally, on the spot). Oh, and it would be much preferred that the process take no more than five years from the finding of guilt to the execution.
Again, just my two cents.
Doom - yes, it is apparently a traditional exercise to always issue a blank round to one person in the execution squad.
A high powered bullet in the head is humane, painless and ever so effective. And a lot cheaper than some of the stuff being used today. Of course, it will leave the dead head in a mess.
WoFat,
They don't shoot them in the heat. Center of mass. Probably for open casket burial if the family wants it.
It's humane.
If it's good enough for jihadis, it's good enough for serial rapists, pedophiles and murderers -- same/same.
It's quick. It's effective. And it's pretty cheap. It's certainly a heck of a lot better that drugging someone up with chemicals.
LL,
Very. It's almost instantaneous. Exsanguination from that many .30's into the heart is what kills, same as with a headshot really. A headshot, if just perfect, might severe the brainstem, making it slightly quicker. But just by a few seconds. People don't realize that the brain, without blood, even if just mechanically limited, will lead to unconsciousness in five seconds, death in ten.
Euripides,
Would that make it kosher, organic, or... what? :p
It's an "all natural" kind of death, supported by the FDA.
What about the guy that makes "Big Giant Swords"? Discovery Channel.
He charges $1,000
Traditions = Swords/Bullets
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