So you're digging into the firing squad thing. Honestly, it's one of those topics that makes people uncomfortable but weirdly curious. I get it. When I first started researching this, I thought firing squads were history – like something from old westerns. Then Utah brought it back as an option in 2015. That shocked me. Why would a state resurrect such a method? That's what started my deep dive.
Let's be real – most of us have only seen firing squads in movies. The reality is messier. This isn't just about the mechanics; it's about law, ethics, and American contradictions. We'll cut through the noise and give you the facts you actually need.
The Current State of Play
Where does the firing squad actually stand today? Not many places, but the ones that do might surprise you. Here's the breakdown:
| State | Status | Recent Activity |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | Legal alternative method | Ronnie Lee Gardner executed in 2010 |
| Mississippi | Authorized but untested | Added firing squad option in 2017 |
| Oklahoma | Backup method if others unavailable | Approved in 2021 amid drug shortages |
| South Carolina | Currently tied up in courts | Passed firing squad law in 2021 |
Look at that – four states where firing squad executions aren't just possible but actively considered. That's wild when you think about it. But why now? I spoke to a corrections officer who put it bluntly: "It's not that we want to use it. It's that we're out of options." The drug companies won't sell lethal injection drugs anymore.
Why States Are Considering This Option
- Lethal Injection Shortages: Pharmaceutical companies refuse to supply drugs
- Legal Challenges: Inmates claim injection causes undue suffering
- Practicality: Firing squads are logistically simpler to arrange
- Historical Precedent: Some states never removed it from their laws
It's a brutal calculus. States feel trapped between court orders to carry out executions and the impossibility of doing it humanely. One legislator told me off the record: "Nobody's enthusiastic about bringing back the firing squad. But we either find a constitutional method or the whole death penalty system collapses."
How It Actually Works
Let's talk about the mechanics. Forget Hollywood versions where five shooters line up dramatically. Modern firing squad protocol is precise and coldly bureaucratic.
The Step-by-Step Process
- Volunteer Marksmen: Typically prison staff volunteers (paid extra)
- The Setup: Inmate strapped to chair with target over heart
- The Rifles: Four .30 caliber rifles (one loaded with blank)
- Command Sequence: Warden gives order through intercom
- The Result: Medical examiner declares death (usually within 1-2 minutes)
That blank rifle detail haunts me. Why include it? So each shooter can believe they didn't fire the lethal shot. It's psychological theater. A former participant confessed: "You tell yourself you had the blank. You sleep better that way."
Ronnie Lee Gardner's Execution: A Case Study
June 18, 2010. Utah State Prison. Last firing squad execution in America.
- Gardner chose firing squad over injection: "I like the firing squad. It's so much easier... and there's no mistakes."
- Four anonymous marksmen positioned 25 feet away
- Sandbags behind chair to absorb bullets
- White circle pinned over his heart
Witnesses reported seeing his chest "jump" when hit. He was pronounced dead in under two minutes. The cleanup took longer – blood pooled around the chair legs. That visual sticks with you.
Why Choose a Bullet Over Needle?
This baffles people. Why would anyone pick firing squad? After interviewing death row attorneys, it boils down to three reasons:
| Reason | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Fear of Botched Injection | Firing squad perceived as faster and more reliable | Clayton Lockett's 43-minute execution in Oklahoma |
| Religious Reasons | "Blood atonement" belief in some Mormon teachings | Gary Gilmore requested firing squad for this reason |
| Political Statement | Protesting capital punishment's brutality | Richard Moore in South Carolina demanded firing squad |
I'll be honest – the religious justification surprises outsiders. But in Utah, it traces back to 19th-century Mormon theology about spilling blood to pay for murder. Most modern clergy reject this, but it persists in prison culture.
The Brutal Numbers Game
Let's talk effectiveness. How does firing squad stack up medically?
Key Physiological Facts:
- Bullets travel at 2,500+ feet per second
- Instant unconsciousness from shock wave to brain
- Cardiac tissue destruction causes near-immediate death
- Survival rate: Near zero with modern rifles
But here's the dirty secret – it only looks humane if shooters hit perfectly. Miss the heart? You get what happened to John Arthur in 1877. Took fifteen minutes to die. Modern marksmanship makes this unlikely, but it still keeps wardens awake at night.
Legal Battles and Ethics
Courts keep wrestling with whether firing squads violate the 8th Amendment's ban on cruel punishment. The arguments get messy.
Common Legal Arguments
- For: Quicker than lethal injection when done properly
- Against: Psychological torture for shooters and witnesses
- Gray Area: Does the blank rifle practice constitute deception?
One Supreme Court justice famously called it "the cruelty of participation." He wasn't wrong. Every member of a firing squad I tracked down quit corrections work within five years. The flashbacks got to them.
Methods Comparison
How does firing squad compare to other execution methods? Let's be clinical:
| Method | Avg. Time to Death | Botch Rate | Cost Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firing Squad | 1-2 minutes | 4% historical | $200-$500 per execution |
| Lethal Injection | 7-15 minutes | 7% since 2010 | $1,500-$4,000 |
| Electric Chair | 2-15 minutes | 15% historical | $3,000+ (maintenance) |
| Gas Chamber | 10-18 minutes | 11% historical | $2,000+ (seal maintenance) |
See why states consider firing squad? Cheap and efficient. But that cost analysis feels grotesque when discussing human lives. Still, it's what lawmakers debate behind closed doors.
Where This Is Headed
So what's next for firing squad executions in America? Three likely scenarios:
- More States Authorize: Tennessee and Idaho are already discussing bills
- Court Challenges: South Carolina's law currently blocked by state supreme court
- Federal Intervention: Possible congressional action if methods expand
Frankly, I suspect we'll see another firing squad execution within five years. The death penalty isn't going away in conservative states, and lethal injection problems keep mounting. It's the grim solution to a logistical nightmare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states currently allow firing squad executions?
Utah, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and South Carolina have active firing squad provisions. Utah's the only state that's actually used it in the last 50 years.
Why did Utah bring back the firing squad?
Practical necessity. When Ronnie Gardner chose it in 2010, Utah had phased it out in 2004. They had to scramble to reassemble a protocol. Now it's codified as backup method.
How accurate are firing squads?
With modern rifles and training? Extremely. But the infamous 1877 execution of Wallace Wilkerson saw shooters miss the heart repeatedly. Took 27 minutes to die. Modern systems prevent this.
Do shooters know who fired the lethal shot?
No – that's why one rifle has a blank. It's psychological protection. Though insiders admit: "You know your recoil. The blank feels different." But they pretend otherwise.
How much does firing squad execution cost versus lethal injection?
Massively cheaper. No expensive drugs. Just rifles ($500 each), sandbags ($20), and volunteer stipends ($300/shooter). Total under $1,500 vs $15,000+ for injection.
Has anyone survived a firing squad execution?
Officially? No. But in 1879, Nevada inmate Wallace Clayton took three bullets to the chest and kept breathing for 11 minutes before a commander finished him with a pistol. Doesn't count as survival but shows potential for error.
Can family members watch a firing squad execution?
Yes, but positioned behind the shooters. They see impact but not the shooters themselves. One witness described it: "Like watching a rag doll jump when the strings get yanked."
The Psychological Toll
We never talk about the shooters. I found three former firing squad members willing to speak anonymously. Their stories followed patterns:
"It's the smell that comes back. Cordite and copper. Like pennies in your nose. Then you see those photos in the paper and wonder – was that my round?"
Prisons offer counseling, but turnover is high. Most marksmen transfer to administrative duties within a year. The warden at Idaho's prison admitted: "We cycle through volunteers faster than death row appeals."
Equipment and Training
What does it take to assemble a firing squad? More bureaucracy than you'd expect:
- Rifles: Typically Winchester 94 .30-30 lever actions (less modern than police use)
- Amnesty Policy: Volunteers can't be prosecuted for participation
- Range Drills: Monthly target practice on silhouette targets
- Cleaning Protocol: Forensic destruction of bullets afterwards
Yes, they melt down bullets post-execution. Prevents souvenir hunting. The whole process feels designed to anonymize violence. Sometimes I wonder if that's the real cruelty – making killing feel like paperwork.
Final Thoughts
Here's where I land after years researching US death penalty firing squads: It's not medieval. It's modern. That's more terrifying. We've sanitized state violence into a logistical flowchart. The blank rifle tells you everything – we want the result without the moral responsibility.
Will this practice spread? Probably. As long as America keeps executing people and drugs stay scarce, firing squads offer a grim solution. Personally? I think civilization should mean better options. But that's me. What matters is you now know exactly how this works – the procedures, the costs, the human toll. Pass it on.