Thaindian News

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (BNO NEWS) – Convicted killer Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed on Friday by firing squad in Utah, the state’s Department of Corrections said.

Gardner, 49, was executed at 12:20 a.m. MST (2:20 a.m. EST) by a firing squad for the 1985 murder of Michael Burdell, an attorney while Gardner was trying to escape from custody at a Salt Lake City courthouse. Gardner chose a firing squad over lethal injection for his execution, becoming the third person to die in that way since 1976.

On Monday, the Utah’s Board of Pardons and Parole refused to revoke the twice-convicted killer’s sentence. Gardner claimed that he was a changed man and asked the court to spare his life but the commission members were unimpressed by Gardner’s claims during the two-day hearing.

Since 2004, convicts are not allowed to choose their capital punishment but prisoners from earlier dates are. So far three inmates have chosen the firing squad as their execution. The state is the only U.S. state that has firing squad as a current execution method. Lethal injection is the default capital punishment.

On Tuesday at approximately 6.30 p.m. local time, Gardner consumed his last meal that included steak, lobster tail, apple pie, vanilla ice cream and 7Up. Gardner has chosen to fast prior to his execution.

On Wednesday, Gardner was moved to an observation cell after he met with family members. He remained in the 10-foot by 6-foot cell until his execution, and staff characterized Gardner’s mood as “reflective” during the move.

On April 2, 1985, Gardner was about to be prosecuted at the Metropolitan Hall of Justice for the killing of Melvyn John Otterstrom during a 1984 robbery when he shot and killed attorney Michael Burdell during an escape attempt. Gardner also injured bailiff Nick Kirk. The defendant got the gun from his then girlfriend.

During his execution, Gardner was blindfolded, strapped to a chair and a target was pinned to his chest. The marksmen fired from a distance of 25 feet.