Idaho introduces bill to make death by firing squad main form of execution

3 hrs ago

Listen

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer)

Idaho could become the first state to use death by firing squad as its primary method of execution. Republican state Rep. Bruce Skaug introduced a bill Tuesday, Jan. 21, to change the state’s current law. Currently, firing squad execution is a backup option to lethal injection if the chemicals are unavailable.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Now, Skaug wants prisoners on Idaho’s nine-member death row to be shot, making lethal injection the secondary option. He said the firing squad method would have less economic impact on the state.

What are the issues with lethal injection?

Several states, including Idaho, have also had trouble getting drugs for lethal injections. The companies that make the drugs started barring them, saying they were meant to save lives, not take them.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Another issue with lethal injection is botched executions.

In February 2024, the Idaho Department of Corrections failed to execute prisoner Thomas Creech using lethal injection when prison officials couldn’t find a suitable vein for an IV. The execution was called off and Creech is still in prison.

Because of this incident, officials changed policy in October 2024, allowing the execution team to access a central vein, such as the chest or neck, rather than just a peripheral vein such as the arm or hand.

Who supports firing squad execution?

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor is among those who claim firing squads are a more humane method of execution.

In 2017, she said, “In addition to being near instant, death by shooting may also be comparatively painless.”

What are the arguments against firing squad execution?

But in a 2019 federal case, prosecutors had statements from an anesthesiologist who said it’s not guaranteed to have a painless death by firing squad, adding that inmates could remain conscious for up to 10 seconds after being shot.

Critics also say killings by firing squad could be potentially traumatizing to victims’ relatives due to its violent nature.

Four other states in the U.S. with capital punishment have firing squads including Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah, but none have it as its lead option, which would make Idaho the first.

Utah was the last state to use a firing squad in an execution in 2010 when prisoners were allowed to choose their method of execution.

What happens next?

If the Idaho bill passes, the law won’t take effect until July 2026 because the Idaho Department of Corrections still needs to build a facility primarily used for firing squad executions.

If any executions happen before the bill is enacted, the state will use lethal injection.

Tags: Death, Death row executions, Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Prison, Prisoners, South Carolina, Utah

[Karah Rucker]

IDAHO COULD BECOME THE FIRST STATE TO USE DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD AS ITS PRIMARY METHOD OF EXECUTION.

REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE BRUCE SKAUG INTRODUCED A BILL TUESDAY TO CHANGE THE STATE’S CURRENT LAW – CURRENTLY FIRING SQUAD EXECUTION IS A *BACK UP* OPTION TO LETHAL INJECTION IF THE CHEMICALS ARE UNAVAILABLE.

NOW, SKAUG WANTS TO ENSURE THAT PRISONERS ON IDAHO’S 9-MEMBER DEATH ROW ARE SHOT TO DEATH … MAKING LETHAL INJECTION THE SECONDARY OPTION … SAYING THE FIRING SQUAD METHOD WOULD HAVE LESS ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THE STATE .

SEVERAL STATES, INCLUDING IDAHO, HAVE ALSO HAD TROUBLE GETTING DRUGS FOR LETHAL INJECTIONS BECAUSE DRUG COMPANIES STARTED BARRING THEM SAYING THEY WERE MEANT TO SAVE LIVES – NOT TAKE THEM.

ANOTHER ISSUE WITH LETHAL INJECTION … IS BOTCHED EXECUTIONS.

IN FEBRUARY 20-24, THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FAILED TO EXECUTE PRISONER THOMAS CREECH USING LETHAL INJECTION WHEN PRISON OFFICIALS COULDN’T FIND A SUITABLE VEIN FOR AN I-V … CALLING OFF THE EXECUTION … LEAVING CREECH STILL IN CUSTODY.

BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, OFFICIALS CHANGED POLICY IN OCTOBER ALLOWING THE EXECUTION TEAM TO ACCESS A CENTRAL VEIN, SUCH AS THE CHEST OR NECK RATHER THAN JUST A PERIPHERAL VEIN SUCH AS THE ARM OR HAND.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE SONIA SOTOMAYOR IS AMONG THOSE WHO CLAIM FIRING SQUADS ARE A MORE HUMANE METHOD OF EXECUTION … SAYING IN 20-17 … “IN ADDITION TO BEING NEAR INSTANT, DEATH BY SHOOTING MAY ALSO BE COMPARATIVELY PAINLESS.”

BUT IN A 20-19 FEDERAL CASE, PROSECUTORS HAD STATEMENTS FROM AN ANTHESIOLOGIST WHO SAID ITS NOT GUARANTEED TO HAVE A PAINLESS DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD … ADDING THAT INMATES COULD REMAIN CONSCIOUS FOR UP TO 10 SECONDS AFTER BEING SHOT.

CRITICS ALSO SAY KILLINGS BY FIRING SQUAD COULD BE POTENTIALLY TRAUMITIZING TO VICTIMS’ RELATIVES DUE ITS VIOLENT NATURE.

FOUR OTHER STATES IN THE U-S WITH CAPITAL PUNISHMENT HAVE FIRING SQUADS INCLUDING MISSISSIPPI, OKLAHOMA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND UTAH … BUT NONE HAVE IT AS ITS LEAD OPTION WHICH WOULD MAKE IDAHO THE FIRST.

UTAH WAS THE LAST STATE TO USE A FIRING SQUAD IN AN EXECUTION IN 2010, WHICH AT THE TIME … PRISONERS WERE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE THEIR METHOD OF EXECUTION.

IF THE IDAHO BILL PASSES, THE LAW WOULDN’T TAKE EFFECT UNTIL JULY 20-26 BECAUSE THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS STILL NEEDS TO BUILD A FACILITY PRIMARILY FOR FIRING SQUAD EXECUTIONS.

IF ANY EXECUTIONS HAPPEN BEFORE THE BILL IS ENACTED, THE STATE WILL USE LETHAL INJECTION.

FOR SAN KARAH RUCKER – I’M FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.