The state’s execution chamber at the prison complex south of Boise is under construction to accommodate shooting condemned prisoners to death by next summer. A new law that prioritizes a firing squad goes into effect starting July 2026. Lethal injection will remain the backup option.
But the Idaho Department of Correction aims to limit direct participation from correctional officers, agency spokesperson Blake Lopez told the Idaho Statesman.
“We have not yet procured a remote-operated system but are actively exploring available options,” he said by email. “A remote-operated system is preferred, as it would allow executions by firing squad to be carried out with minimal involvement from our staff.”
Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, who sponsored the bill that sets up the state’s transition to a firing squad, told the Idaho Statesman he has concerns that remote-operated firearms could falter the day of an execution. He advocated for the new execution method after Idaho prison officials were unable to execute a prisoner for the very first time, by lethal injection, in 2024.
Archived at https://archive.is/IZLMl
Tbh I’d much rather a bullet to the head than a botched injection.
But the state executing people is morally reprehensible in the first place.
Who says you get one in the head?
A savage nation. A shithole country. A total no go zone.
Who says you get one in the head?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_shot
A mercy shot is a final shot delivered in an execution. It follows after at least one original shot intended to mortally wound or kill the victim.[1
https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/execution/firing-squad/
Although each firing squad member must fire, one of the shooters usually receives a gun with a blank. This ensures that no one in the group is able to know for sure which of them fired the fatal round. On several occasions, the condemned party has been hit by several bullets and lived. When this happens, a final shooter dispatches the person at close range.
But who says you get one? From your own link:
The use of the mercy shot is not universal; due to limited compassion for the victims or due to limited available ammunition, some execution victims are left to die of their wounds or are simply buried alive, without a mercy shot.
No you must have missed the last paragraph
Automated weapons will be executing people. To save on staff.
I’d trust an automated weapon system to shoot me in the head more accurately than a human.
I’ve dealt with enough programmers and various automated systems to suspect that your faith may be misplaced.
as long as it’s not run bu AI
I’m opposed to the death penalty. There are various reasons why I believe the State should not be allowed to hold that power over people.
That said, if you are going to have the death penalty as part of your legal system, at least be honest about it. Don’t try to put lipstick on a pig by making it appear more civilized and ethical than it is.
Death penalty by firing squad is at least a very straight-forward and honest way of imposing the death penalty
This is the most gut-wrenchingly dystopian thing I’ve read in a while. I can’t believe it’s not satire.
It’s things like this that make me glad that our justice system is perfect, and we’ve never executed an innocent person.
Damn machines taking all our jerbs!
Seriously though. Just advertise that you need Specialists to Execute Capital Policy on an as needed basis. There will be no shortage of Proud Boys and other right wing psychos liking up to be able to legally kill people. You wouldn’t even need to worry about giving one a blank. They’d probably be upset if they thought they might be the one to get a blank.
Those people are cowards, there was one in my town who shot someone note didn’t even kill the person. And apparently the tough badass bullshit shattered by the time the sheriffs deputy and paramedics got there.
just use one of them new school shooting drones. I’m sure it’ll be fine.
Those only use pepper spray pellets.(and a glass hammer or something?)
Jesus America… have you guys considered a giant meat grinder? Or putting them on a train track? Giant saw maybe? U S A. U S A.
Actually, perhaps a gas chamber would fit your current trajectory better.
Neat. I wonder if it’s cheaper or less agonizing for the victim.
