Idaho Supreme Court Blog Reports AG Wants to End Firing Squad
Idaho's distinction as one of two states (the other is Oklahoma) that still permits the use of the firing squad as a lawful means of execution, appears to be in jeopardy. Deputy Attorney General Bill von Tagen is pushing a bill before the legislature to get rid of the bullet as a means of "lethal injection." So what is the big deal? Aside from Keith Wells (who volunteered to be executed in the 90s) there hasn't been an execution in decades. Three of my clients who were on death row (I did not represent them at trial, just on appeal and habeas) are all off the row and now serving life. That is the norm - people sentenced to die do - but mostly of natural causes. So no more firing squad? I wonder when the last person was executed by firing squad. In any event, the State would like to end that possibility. Check out my friends Idaho Supreme Court Blog for more on this, and other absurdities - at scoidblog.blogspot.com/ .
