Idaho to allow death by firing squad for death row inmates

Mar 21, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

A new, legal form of execution is coming for death row inmates in Idaho. Death by firing squad will be an option in the state when lethal injections aren’t available and will be considered a last resort.

The state Senate passed the legislation Monday with a veto-proof majority, weeks after the state House did the same. The controversial form of execution will be used only when the state can’t obtain drugs needed for lethal injection. The last time an execution was postponed due to the lack of necessary chemicals was in November 2022.

Many states have renewed pushes for alternative execution methods in recent years. It’s difficult for states to get supplies needed for lethal injections. The supplies are costly and come with risks.

Death by firing squad typically consists of the death row inmate standing against a wall with multiple personnel simultaneously firing bullets at the prisoner’s heart.

Idaho state Rep. Bruce Skaug (R), who authored the bill, said death by firing squad is a more humane form of execution since lethal injections sometimes fail.

Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma, and South Carolina currently have laws allowing firing squad executions if other methods are unavailable.

When the new law goes into effect, firing squad executions won’t be a regular occurrence. Idaho has only conducted three executions since 1976. There have only been four executions by firing squad in the U.S. since 1960, all occurring in Utah.

Tags: Oklahoma, South Carolina, lethal injections, Death row executions, Mississippi, Executions, Utah, Idaho

KARAH RUCKER: IN IDAHO – THERE’S SOON TO BE A NEW LEGAL FORM OF EXECUTION FOR DEATH ROW INMATES. DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD WILL BE AN OPTION OF LAST RESORT IN THE STATE WHEN LETHAL INJECTIONS AREN’T AVAILABLE.

THE STATE PASSED THE LEGISLATION MONDAY WITH A VETO-PROOF MAJORITY, JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE STATE HOUSE DID THE SAME. THE CONTROVERSIAL FORM OF EXECUTION WILL BE USED ONLY WHEN THE STATE CAN’T OBTAIN DRUGS NEEDED FOR LETHAL INJECTIONS, WHICH DOES HAPPEN. THE LAST TIME AN EXECUTION WAS POSTPONED DUE TO THE LACK OF NECESSARY CHEMICALS WAS IN NOVEMBER.

THERE’S BEEN A RENEWED PUSH FOR ALTERNATIVE EXECUTION METHODS IN RECENT YEARS. ITS DIFFICULT FOR STATES TO GET SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR LETHAL INJECTIONS. THEY’RE COSTLY, AND COME WITH RISKS.

DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD TYPICALLY CONSISTS OF THE DEATH-ROW INMATE STANDING AGAINST A WALL WITH MULTIPLE PERSONNEL SIMULTANEOUSLY FIRING BULLETS AT THE PRISONER’S HEART.

IDAHO REPRESENTATIVE BRUCE SKAUG, WHO AUTHORED THE BILL, SAYS DEATH BY FIRING SQUAD IS A MORE HUMANE FORM OF EXECUTION – CITING INSTANCES OF LETHAL INJECTIONS THAT HAVE GONE WRONG.

MISSISSIPPI, UTAH, OKLAHOMA, AND SOUTH CAROLINA CURRENTLY HAVE LAWS ALLOWING FIRING SQUAD EXECUTIONS IF OTHER METHODS ARE UNAVAILABLE.

EVEN WHEN THE NEW LAW GOES INTO EFFECT – DON’T EXPECT THIS TO BE A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. THE STATE OF IDAHO HAS CONDUCTED ONLY THREE EXECUTIONS SINCE 1976. AND IN THE U.S. – THERE HAVE BEEN ONLY FOUR EXECUTIONS BY FIRING SQUAD SINCE 1960 – ALL OCCURRING IN UTAH.