Opinionated Catholic: Utah To Execute Man By Firing Squad

Friday, April 23, 2010

Utah To Execute Man By Firing Squad

By understanding is that the person being executed can choose between Lethal injection or firing squad. I have no idea why anyone would pick the firing squad option.

4 comments:

Rick67 said...: It has to do with Latter Day Saint aka Mormon theology. Can't recall the details but there are theological/religious reasons why Utah has historically preferred death by firing squad.; April 23, 2010 at 1:49 PM
James H said...: That is interesting. It just seems to strange to hear about that this day and age.; April 23, 2010 at 2:17 PM
PersonalFailure said...: Probably because Joseph Smith was shot to death, but also, lethal injection is a horrific way to die. They give you a paralytic so you can't thrash around, which also causes slow suffocation if the agent for stopping the heart doesn't work, which it is theorized it often does not.

At least death by firing squad would be quick if the shooters were halfway decent.; April 23, 2010 at 2:22 PM
Andy said...: James, I remember back when I was in high school that Utah executed a guy by firing squad.

I think his name was Gary Gilmore (don't know why I remember that name, or if it's even correct)...funny the things you remember, huh?

As I remember, Utah has left the firing squad option open because it has something to do with the Moromon religion. Something about "the shedding of blood" for remission...something like that.

I'm speaking in ignorance here, but hang on...

Yep! I found it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Gilmore

As I remember, only one guy in the firing squad actually has a "live" round in his rifle. The others have "blanks." That way, nobody in the firing squad can carry on their conscience that they were the one that actually killed someone.

Interesting stuff. Like Rick said, it has something to do with LDS doctrine.; April 23, 2010 at 4:09 PM

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