Supreme Court sides with inmate who wants to die by firing squad

[Jose Garcia]

Source: CNN

(CNN)The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled in favor of a death row inmate in Georgia who is challenging the state's lethal injection protocol and seeks to die by firing squad -- a method not currently authorized in the state.

The court said the inmate could bring the challenge under a federal civil rights law that allows individuals to seek remedies when their Constitutional rights are violated. The decision could make it easier for inmates to challenge their potential execution method.

The 5-4 majority opinion was written by Justice Elena Kagan, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett penning a dissent joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch.

Kagan said that the law at issue, Section 1983, "broadly authorizes suit against state officials for the deprivation of any rights secured by the Constitution."

Read more: https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/06/23/politics/supreme-court-death-row-inmates/index.html

[IronLionZion]

1. There are plenty of problem with lethal injection, gas, and electric chair

so I can see why some folks want to go back to firing squad. Utah uses that method.

[Igel]

14. But the trial court may disagree with allowing the firing squad.

This just said that the defendant has the right to challenge the decision not to allow firing squad, not that the defendant will get the firing squad.

[Initech]

2. Actually after seeing the John Oliver on lethal injection...

Firing squad seems like the less painful way to go. But neither one are particularly good.

[OnlinePoker]

15. Why can't they use whatever drugs are used in assisted suicides?

Here in Canada we don't seem to have an issue with it and it is, apparently, a peaceful process.

[Initech]

16. Because the American right wing destroys everything they touch?

Otherwise I don't know.

[DENVERPOPS]

19. Or the drug the Veterinarians use on our pets?????? NC

[marble falls]

3. Make it very simple: end the death penalty, end the chicken shit death penalty ...

... "life with no parole", and finally end three strikes.

[Auggie]

7. +1

[DENVERPOPS]

10. I am not a lawyer

but I think the threat of the Death Penalty gives prosecutors the ability to plea bargain the charges to life imprisonment if they plead guilty to avoid the very costly trial and appeals of the Death sentence......

I am against the Death Penalty, but think, for the above reason, that it serves a purpose.........

Then again, I think the Death Penalty for Treason should be considered against the countless insurrectionists & seditionists. Or better yet, pull their citizenship and put them on planes and parachute them into Russia. Let them try the shit they are doing in America in Russia and see where it gets them........

[Lithos]

18. It unfortunately does not work that way

The main assumption in such an approach is that the defendant many times is at the mercy of the quality and attention of whatever court appointed attorney is present.

Texas - the attorney fell asleep multiple times in a capital case and the the case was settled with the death penalty. The defendant if I remember was totally incapable mentally of understanding the proceedings.

The Death Penalty is a very real thing with the odds of conviction going up if you are Black, mentally handicapped, poor, uneducated and live in the South. i would give better odds to the animals at a kill shelter. Remember CRT that Republicans do not want people to discuss? To be honest, I am surprised Texas has not taken a hint from the Chinese to just put a bullet in the back of the head and harvest the organs to help reimburse expenses. (Open - I live in Texas)

L-

[ArizonaLib]

4. If we have a constitutional right to due process

we should be able to replace the right wing justices on the SCOTUS with unbiased justices.

[sarisataka]

5. If we are going to have a death penalty,

I believe we should not, the condemned should be allowed to request their manner of death.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

9. Old age!

[sarisataka]

11. My #1 choice nt

[Floyd R. Turbo]

12. 😁

[Historic NY]

6. The well regulated militia should jump at the chance, could be a contest with raffles....

Will they have to hire 5 marksman? Is more than one shot allowed? What if wounded the criminal lives, would this be a completed again? So many questions? Is it even humane? The one shot scenario used in someplace in the world is to the back of the head.


Gary Gilmore was the only person in the US, Utah executed by a firing squad in 1976. Followed by John A Taylor, the last in 1996 when Utah banned a firing squad.

[Traildogbob]

8. Ummmmm!

BRing back firing squad in Georgia…….the state that may prosecute trump as a traitor. Finally the Supreme court gets it right.

[Polybius]

13. At first glance, this appears to be bad

But Amy Coney Barrett, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch dissented. Am I missing something, or does this go beyond supporting the firing squad?

[LudwigPastorius]

17. He wants to die in a hail of bullets, so they're going to enroll him in an elementary school.

(Yeah, I know. Very dark, but this is where we are.)

[orangecrush]

20. Of course

Anything for guns.