NW Democrat-Gazette

Idaho firing squad execution bill signed

BOISE, Idaho — Republican Gov. Brad Little on Saturday 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.

“While I am signing this bill, it is important to point out that fulfilling justice can and must be done by minimizing stress on corrections personnel,” Little said in a statement.

“For the people on death row, a jury convicted them of their crimes, and they were lawfully sentenced to death. It is the responsibility of the state of Idaho to follow the law and ensure that lawful criminal sentences are carried out,” the governor said.

The Legislature passed the measure Monday with a veto-proof majority. Firing squads are to be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injection.

Pharmaceutical companies increasingly have barred executioners from using their drugs, saying they were meant to save lives. The shortage has also prompted other states to revive older methods of execution in recent years.

Only Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina allow firing squads if other methods are unavailable, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. South Carolina’s law is on hold pending the outcome of a legal challenge.

Some states began refurbishing electric chairs as standbys for when lethal drugs are unavailable.

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2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.nwaonline.com/article/281638194456979

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