Lethal injection, electrocution and now firing squads. A look at US execution methods

HOUSTON (AP) — South Carolina is preparing this week to execute a antheral by firing squad, a superior punishment method that hasn’t been utilized successful the U.S. successful astir 15 years.

Since the Supreme Court lifted its prohibition connected superior punishment successful 1976, states person utilized 5 antithetic execution methods: lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas, firing squad and hanging.

Brad Sigmon is scheduled to dice Friday successful South Carolina. He was convicted of sidesplitting his ex-girlfriend’s parents with a shot bat astatine their location successful 2001.

Here’s a look astatine however the U.S. executes people:

Most US executions are by lethal injection

Lethal injection has been the preferred method successful the modern era, with 1,428 carried retired since 1976. Texas has done the most, sidesplitting 593 inmates, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit center.

Twenty-eight states arsenic good arsenic the U.S. subject and U.S. authorities authorize the usage of lethal injection, successful which an inmate has a deadly substance of drugs injected into them arsenic they are strapped to a gurney.

But passim its use, lethal injection has been plagued by problems, including delays successful finding suitable veins, needles becoming clogged oregon disengaged and problems with securing capable of the required drugs.

“A fig of states are opening to experimentation with caller methods of execution ... due to the fact that of the problems with lethal injection,” said John Banzhaf, a prof emeritus of instrumentality astatine George Washington University Law School.

Use of electrocution is down since 2000

Nine states authorize the usage of electrocution, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. Since 1976, 163 electrocutions person been carried out. But lone 19 person been done since 2000.

In this method, a idiosyncratic is strapped to a seat and has electrodes placed connected their caput and limb earlier a jolt of betwixt 500 and 2,000 volts runs done their body. The last electrocution took spot successful 2020 successful Tennessee.

Texas utilized electrocution from 1924 to 1964, sidesplitting 361 inmates, according to the state's Department of Criminal Justice. The electrical seat Texas utilized was nicknamed “Old Sparky.” It is present displayed astatine the Texas Prison Museum successful Huntsville, wherever the state’s decease enclosure is located.

Alabama resumes the usage of lethal gas

Lethal state is authorized arsenic the default execution method successful 8 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wyoming.

From 1979 to 1999, 11 inmates were executed utilizing this method, successful which a captive would beryllium strapped to a seat successful an airtight enclosure earlier it was filled with cyanide gas.

In 2024, Alabama revived this method erstwhile it became the archetypal authorities to usage nitrogen gas to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith. A disguise is placed implicit a prisoner’s look and nitrogen state is pumped in, depriving the idiosyncratic of oxygen and resulting successful death.

Alabama's last specified execution took spot successful February.

Firing squads are seldom utilized successful the modern era

Since 1977, lone 3 inmates person been executed by firing squad and each were successful Utah, with the past 1 successful 2010, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Five states including Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah authorize its use, but it is not the superior execution method. For this method, an inmate is usually bound to a seat and is changeable done the bosom by a radical of situation staffers lasting 20 to 25 feet (6 to 7.6 meters) away.

Idaho has had firing squad executions connected the books arsenic a backup if lethal injection drugs are unavailable since 2023. But successful the aftermath of past year’s botched lethal injection effort connected Thomas Eugene Creech, lawmakers are considering a measure to marque firing squads the superior execution method.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Doug Ricks, has suggested Idaho could usage a firing squad machine, triggering the guns electronically to destruct the request for further execution squad members.

Hanging was erstwhile the superior execution method

In the U.S., hanging was the main method of execution until astir the 1890s, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Data collected by researchers of U.S. executions from 1608 to 2002 recovered 9,322 radical were enactment to decease by hanging, successful which a idiosyncratic was blindfolded and their hands and legs were secured earlier a noose was placed astir the cervix and they fell done a trap door.

But successful superior punishment’s modern era, lone 3 individuals successful the U.S. person been executed by hanging successful 1993, 1994 and 1996. New Hampshire’s remaining decease enactment inmate could beryllium executed by hanging if lethal injection is not available.

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Associated Press video writer Cody Jackson successful Fort Pierce, Florida, and writer Rebecca Boone successful Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.

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Follow Juan A. Lozano connected X astatine juanlozano70.