South Carolina will soon allow firing squad in federal executions, which is another option for death-row inmates with no lethal injection available.
House of South Carolina votes to Add Firing Squad to Federal Executions
During a shortage of lethal injection drugs, the South Carolina House voted in favor of legislation requiring firing squads as an additional execution method for the state's death-row prisoners, reported the Epoch Times.
According to the bill, if lethal injection drugs aren't available to be executed prisoners, have to choose between being shot or electrocuted, according to the bill, which prevailed 66-43. Just nine states still use the electric chair, and the state will be the fourth to permit a firing squad.
Should the bill be passed, the state has the authority to restart executions in nearly a decade; the law allows the use of firing squad will be legal if there is no lethal injection. Some oppose the death penalty, especially after the executions of several inmates.
Currently, South Carolina cannot place inmates on death row as its supply of lethal injection drugs has expired, and it hasn't been able to purchase more due to a shortage nationwide. The state's last execution was in May 2011, cited USA Today.
Convicted prisoners can already choose between the electric chair and lethal injection. Since the drugs aren't available, many have chosen the deadly injection option, as the state can no longer force inmates to die by electrocution. South Carolina will soon allow firing squads as another choice for execution.
If the state has the drugs, the bill keeps lethal injection but enables prison authorities to use the electric chair if they don't. If an inmate chooses, they can be killed by firing squad.
For the previous five years, the state has been unable to procure lethal injection drugs due to drug manufacturers' efforts to limit how their products are used. As a result, two planned executions have been delayed so far.
According to sources from the State Senate, the bill was passed in March via a bipartisan group of lawmakers voting 32-11 to give it a second reading.
The Lower House made a slight modification to that version, which means it will go to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster for approval after a routine final vote in the House and Senate authorization.
For the record, there are 37 inmates on death row in the state of South Carolina, awaiting their execution by the state.
Former President Donald Trump had expressed support for capital punishment on many occasions and, after a 17-year hiatus, revived it at the federal level last year. The former argued that executions are an effective punishment and appropriate penalty for such crimes, such as mass shootings and police officer killings.
According to The Associated Press, President Joe Biden is the first sitting US president to oppose the death sentence openly and has suggested instructing the Department of Justice to begin scheduling new executions.
The subject of the death penalty has been a controversial subject with South Carolina will soon allow firing squad that many states are considering implementing, especially republican states.
Related article: Death Penalty in the US: Everything You Need to Know
