Killer chooses firing squad

[Colin1]

The Daily Telegraph Saturday 24 April 2010

A condemned murderer will become only the third person to be executed by firing squad in the United States in more than three decades.

Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49, has been on Death Row for 25 years. After a state court judge said he would sign the death warrant, Gardner said "I would like the firing squad".

Utah is the only state to have used firing squads since the US Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. Gary Gilmore was executed on 17 January 1977 and John Albert Taylor on 26 January 1996.

Gardner's attorney plans an appeal.

 

[RabidAlien]

I've always wondered....why wait? Drag him out back of the courthouse and grant his wish! Why do we even have a Death Row, and keep these cretins alive on the taxpayers' dollar?

 

[Ferdinand Foch]

I hear ya, RA. Seems to me these days that the justice system has more rights for the criminal than they do the victim.
I wouldn't mind doing what they do in Russia; wait a month after sentencing and then put a bullet in the back of the scumbag's head. Makes life a lot easier.

 

[Marcel]

I hear ya, RA. Seems to me these days that the justice system has more rights for the criminal than they do the victim.
I wouldn't mind doing what they do in Russia; wait a month after sentencing and then put a bullet in the back of the scumbag's head. Makes life a lot easier.

Until you find out a few years later that your accused was actually innocent.. But this is a political discussion which doesn't belong here....

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think that a Firing Squad is too dignified and honorable. Fry his ass!

 

[Ferdinand Foch]

Until you find out a few years later that your accused was actually innocent.. But this is a political discussion which doesn't belong here....

Hehe, should've known that was coming. I definitely see where your coming from Marcel. I'm just fed up with convicted killers, who have absolute evidence against them, are given ten more years in jail before their up for execution. Their wasting money, that's my big beef. And I'm gonna stop here before this gets out of hand. Just my two cents.

 

[Marcel]

Hehe, should've known that was coming. I definitely see where your coming from Marcel. I'm just fed up with convicted killers, who have absolute evidence against them, are given ten more years in jail before their up for execution. Their wasting money, that's my big beef. And I'm gonna stop here before this gets out of hand. Just my two cents.

Well, we just had some cases about convicted child-murderers who later were proven innocent, after 8 years or so. That's why I mentioned it. But as we both already agreed, this discussion should be taken elsewhere and not here.
But everybody their own opinion.

 

[bobbysocks]

capital punishment should be for those cases..where there is absolutely no doubt.. smoking gun in hand. and then it should be quick ..not years down the road. my 2 cents.

 

[RabidAlien]

I'm with Bobbysocks. If the punishment is as harsh as the crime, that'll start to slow down the crime rate (plus allowing your standard law-abiding citizen to tote weaponry with less hassles), therefore reducing the number of capital crimes needing trials, IMO. Give them a month, maybe six, then pull the plug. Or trigger, either way. I'm just sick of seeing my tax dollars going to these guys' cable bill and university degrees.

 

[Lucky13]

Can't we go back to the good ol' days, and make the executions open to the public?



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[Catch22]

Can't we go back to the good ol' days, and make the executions open to the public?



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They could fry them with the chair...

 

[Loiner]

I'm surprised anyone would choose the firing squad as their method of execution as I've heard it can potentially cause the most suffering by far. The electric chair is meant to be painless as unconsciousness is virtually instantaneous, but lethal injection sounds like the most favoured option as you just go to sleep on the first of the three drugs used.

 

[bobbysocks]

Can't we go back to the good ol' days, and make the executions open to the public?



HOT DOGS! BUY YOUR HOT DOGS HERE!

because we are "civilized" and we can make up excuses why it wasnt their fault that they committed the crime....

 

[mikewint]

it goes against my natural instincts to say this but in 1810 England had the "Bloody Code" in which there were 220 capital crimes. Children were commonly executed for stealing while many adults were pardoned for many reasons including electing military service (its prison or the Army son). Did all those capital crimes make "Merry olde England" the safest country in the world?
what's the life of a single innocent man worth? there's no reprieve from death.

 

[Colin1]

Well
there goes my somewhat romantic notion of a blindfold and a last cigarette...

Utah parole board won't stop execution by firing squad - CNN.com

 

[javlin]

I'm surprised anyone would choose the firing squad as their method of execution as I've heard it can potentially cause the most suffering by far. The electric chair is meant to be painless as unconsciousness is virtually instantaneous, but lethal injection sounds like the most favoured option as you just go to sleep on the first of the three drugs used.

Personally that would be my method of choice just make sure he's a good marksman;just as lethal.

 

[Negative Creep]

capital punishment should be for those cases..where there is absolutely no doubt.. smoking gun in hand. and then it should be quick ..not years down the road. my 2 cents.

Out of interest how would you define no doubt at all? Would that mean if there was the slightest whole in the prosecution's case they wouldn't be executed?

 

[Loiner]

If there is no doubt (e.g. caught in the act, or DNA evidence), then execute.
If there is only evidence beyond reasonable doubt, then life imprisonment, so there is always the chance of an apppeal later in life.

 

[Negative Creep]

Evidence can be fabricated though, witnesses can lie, results can be tampered with. Not trying to be awkward as I'm undecided on the whole capital punishment debate, but I really don't see how you could differentiate in law. I bet the lawyers would have a field day with that

 

[Loiner]

A conviction based on witness statements would only come under 'beyond reasonable doubt' in my opinion, so would not result in capital punishment; only solid evidence should permit a capital sentance.

As for fabricated evidence, the police and justice system should be tight and disciplined enough to exclude that kind of malpractice and perhaps be overseen by an independant body. Anyone found guilty of fabricating evidence which wrongly lead to a capital sentance should certainly face a murder charge themselves.

The system would need to be robust, fool proof and transparent with independant monitoring as a pre-requisite to apply capital punishment, otherwise it would not be safe enough to apply (which is perhaps why few countries use it).