US man to be executed by firing squad
April 24th, 2010 - 6:44 am ICT by IANSWashington, April 24 (DPA) A convicted murderer in the state of Utah in the US will be executed by firing squad after a judge signed an order Friday granting the man’s request to die in a hail of gunfire.
Ronnie Lee Gardner chose firing squad over lethal injection when he is put to death on June 18, a spokeswoman for the state court in Salt Lake City confirmed. Utah is the only state that still performs firing squad executions.
Gardner was convicted of murdering an attorney while trying to escape from a courthouse more than 25 years ago. At the time of the crime, those condemned to die were allowed to choose their method of execution.
Utah changed the law in 2004 to make lethal injection the only method, but it does not apply to inmates who were convicted before the law was enacted. State officials changed the law because of the embarrassing attention brought on by firing squad executions.
The last time a man was executed by firing squad in Utah was 1996 and involved a man convicted of raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
A hood was placed over John Albert Taylor’s head and he was strapped into a chair. Five shooters, one using a gun with a blank, aimed at a cloth taped over Taylor’s heart and opened fire.
- Convicted killer Ronnie Lee Gardner executed by firing squad in Utah - Jun 18, 2010
- Utah Killer Chooses Firing Squad Over Lethal Injection - Apr 24, 2010
- Ronnie Lee Gardner set to be executed by firing squad early Friday in Utah - Jun 18, 2010
- Utah Killer To Face Firing Squad Tonight (Thursday) - Jun 18, 2010
- Ronnie Lee Gardner Facing Execution By Firing Squad - Jun 18, 2010
- Ronnie Lee Gardner, Convicted Murderer, Opts For Firing Squad Execution - Apr 24, 2010
- Lawyers try to halt the execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner by firing squad - Jun 18, 2010
- Utah Execution Reported With Aid Of Technology - Jun 18, 2010
- Vietnam to use lethal injections for death penalty - Jun 18, 2010
- China, US among top countries when it comes to execution of prisoners - Mar 28, 2011
- China executes South African woman for drug smuggling - Dec 12, 2011
- Millsboro, DE man sentenced to death penalty for 2007 murder - Mar 13, 2010
- Rapist put to death after pork chop meal - Feb 16, 2012
- German prosecutor shot dead by defendant - Jan 12, 2012
- Herriman Wildfire Burns More Than 300 Acres Of Land, Evacuation Continues - Sep 20, 2010
Tags: albert taylor, april 24, firing squad executions, gunfire, hail, heart, inmates, last time, lee gardner, lethal injection, method of execution, murderer, old girl, ronnie lee, salt lake city, salt lake tribune, shooters, spokeswoman, state of utah, state officials