History and Controversy of Firing Squad Executions in the U.S.

SOURCE apnews.com
South Carolina is set to carry out the first firing squad execution in the U.S. in 15 years, highlighting the long history and controversial nature of this method of death penalty. The firing squad has been used since colonial times, during the Civil War, and in the Old West. Some consider it a more humane alternative to lethal injection.

Key Points

  • Firing squads have a long history in the U.S., used for mutiny in colonial times, desertion in the Civil War, and frontier justice in the Old West
  • Only five states currently authorize the use of firing squads for executions
  • Some believe firing squads are a more reliable and humane method compared to lethal injection

Pros

  • Considered by some as a more humane alternative to lethal injection
  • Historical method of execution dating back to colonial times

Cons

  • Viewed by many as barbaric and brutal
  • Potential for botched executions and prolonged suffering