Idaho becomes the first state to designate firing squads as the preferred method for death penalty executions, breaking from lethal injection amid growing complications in administering capital punishment.
Quick Takes
- Governor Brad Little signed legislation making firing squad Idaho’s primary execution method starting in 2025, with lethal injection as backup.
- The decision follows a botched lethal injection attempt on death row inmate Thomas Eugene Creech in 2023 and challenges obtaining execution drugs.
- Idaho joins only four other states (Utah, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Mississippi) allowing firing squad executions but is the only one making it the preferred method.
- The state currently has nine prisoners on death row but hasn’t performed an execution in over 12 years.
- This change could potentially affect high-profile cases like that of Bryan Kohberger, accused in the University of Idaho murders, for whom prosecutors seek the death penalty.
First State to Prefer Firing Squad Execution
Governor Brad Little signed legislation on Wednesday making Idaho the only state in America to designate firing squad as the preferred method of execution for death row inmates. The law takes effect next year, making a significant shift in the state’s approach to capital punishment. While Idaho previously permitted firing squad as a backup method under a 2023 law, this new legislation elevates it to the primary choice, with lethal injection remaining as an alternative. The bill received strong support, passing with more than two-thirds approval in Idaho’s Republican-controlled legislature.
“Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed his name on a bill Wednesday making Idaho the only state in the U.S. to have a firing squad designated as the preferred execution method for capital punishment, beginning next year.” – Source
Response to Failed Lethal Injection Attempts
The legislative change follows a problematic execution attempt in February 2023, when medical personnel were unable to establish an IV line for a lethal injection on Thomas Eugene Creech, who has been on death row since 1983 for multiple murders. This failure highlighted ongoing challenges with lethal injection protocols nationwide. Bill sponsor Representative Bruce Skaug cited this botched attempt as a primary reason for preferring the firing squad method. The state’s prison system has already begun preparations, remodeling its lethal injection chamber to accommodate more invasive IV methods and potentially firing squad executions.
“One thing about this method, it’s pretty sure. It’s not going to be something that gets done part way.” – Source
States across the country have faced increasing difficulty obtaining the necessary drugs for lethal injections as pharmaceutical companies restrict their use for executions. This shortage has forced states to seek alternative methods or suspend executions altogether. Idaho now joins Utah, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Mississippi as the only states allowing firing squad executions, but stands alone in making it the preferred method. South Carolina recently executed Brad Sigmon by firing squad, marking the first such execution in the United States in 15 years.
Debate Over Humane Execution
The legislation has sparked significant debate within Idaho’s government and among the public. Senator Doug Ricks, the bill’s sponsor, argued that firing squad is both more effective and humane than lethal injection when properly implemented. He even suggested using machines or electronic methods in the future to eliminate human involvement in executions. Supporters of the bill, including Republican Senator Brian Lenney, emphasized that the focus should remain on the victims and the reason for capital punishment in the first place.
“If we’re talking about terror, and we’re talking about barbaric, I think we should remember why this man is on death row in the first place” – Source
Opposition came from both sides of the political aisle. Republican Senator Daniel Foreman voted against the bill, expressing concerns about the psychological impact of botched firing squad executions. Democratic Senator Melissa Wintrow called the method “barbaric” and warned it could harm Idaho’s image. The new law arrives amid ongoing proceedings in the high-profile case of Bryan Kohberger, the suspect in the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, for whom prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. This timing has further intensified scrutiny of Idaho’s approach to capital punishment.
Sources:
- Idaho becomes first state to prefer death by firing squad for executions
- Firing squad could become Idaho’s main execution method under a bill awaiting governor’s approval
