Stephen Bryant, convicted of multiple murders and taunting police with blood messages, is set to be executed by firing squad in South Carolina after his final appeal was rejected, despite claims of brain damage from fetal alcohol syndrome. The courts upheld his sentence, and he is scheduled for execution at 6 p.m. ET, marking the third firing squad execution in the state this year.
South Carolina's Supreme Court has upheld the execution of Stephen Bryant, who is scheduled to be executed by firing squad for a series of murders committed over 20 years ago, rejecting his final appeal that argued brain damage from fetal alcohol syndrome should have influenced his sentencing.
Stephen Bryant, convicted of multiple murders, faces execution by firing squad in South Carolina after the state's highest court rejected his appeal, which argued his brain damage from fetal alcohol syndrome could have influenced his actions. Despite his defense's claims of childhood abuse and potential brain damage, the court upheld his high level of planning and decision-making, affirming the death sentence. Bryant has chosen the firing squad method, making him the third in South Carolina this year, amid ongoing debates over execution methods.
South Carolina is seeking to reinstate the electric chair and firing squad for executions, arguing that painless deaths are not mandated by law. Four inmates on death row are challenging the use of these methods, citing concerns about the secrecy surrounding the new lethal injection drug and the potential for cruel and unusual punishment. The state has not proposed adding nitrogen gas, like Alabama, which recently performed the first execution using the toxic chemical. The lack of lethal injection drugs has led to a halt in capital punishment in South Carolina for nearly 13 years, with many prosecutors now opting for life in prison without parole instead of seeking the death penalty.
Bryan Kohberger, accused of killing four University of Idaho students, appeared in court as a judge denied his defense team's motion to delay the trial due to concerns about the jury selection process. A relative of one of the victims attended the hearing wearing a pro-firing squad T-shirt. The trial is set to begin on October 2. Kohberger's lawyers claim he couldn't be the killer because he was on a late-night solo drive when the stabbings occurred. Prosecutors are expected to argue that Kohberger's team needs to disclose any alibi witnesses or evidence. If convicted, Kohberger could face the death penalty.
Idaho has become the fifth state in the US to allow executions by firing squad if lethal injection drugs are not available, under a new law signed by Republican Governor Brad Little. The American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho called the move "extremely disappointing" and said firing squads were "especially gruesome". The state has been unable to carry out the scheduled execution of an inmate because it was unable to obtain the drug pentobarbital.
Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making it the fifth state in the US to allow this method. Little said he signed the bill to ensure that lawful criminal sentences are carried out and because of his support for the death penalty. The state has struggled to acquire the drugs necessary for lethal injections, and the new law directs the director of the Idaho Department of Corrections to determine whether lethal injection is available within five days of a death warrant being issued. If not, a firing squad will be used. The law will go into effect on July 1.
Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. Firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. Pharmaceutical companies increasingly have barred executioners from using their drugs, saying they were meant to save lives. Biden pledged during his campaign to work at ending the death penalty nationwide, but he has remained silent on the issue as president.
Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. Firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. Pharmaceutical companies increasingly have barred executioners from using their drugs, saying they were meant to save lives.
Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, making Idaho the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment amid a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. Firing squads will be used only if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. The shortage has prompted other states in recent years to revive older methods of execution.
Idaho Governor Brad Little has signed a bill into law that makes firing squad a method of execution for inmates on death row. The state had previously allowed lethal injection and electrocution as methods of execution, but the new law adds firing squad as an option if the other methods are unavailable. The move comes as states across the US are grappling with the ethics and practicalities of capital punishment.
Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a bill into law that authorizes execution by firing squad when lethal injection is unavailable, making Idaho the fifth state to allow firing squads for death row inmates. The state has been unable to obtain lethal injection drugs, and the bill implies that $750,000 would be used to refurbish the facility to reinstate the firing squad. Little believes the state must minimize the stress of personnel who will be carrying out firing squad executions.
Idaho lawmakers have approved a bill that would allow execution by firing squad if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections or if lethal injections are deemed unconstitutional by a court. The bill will move to Republican Gov. Brad Little's desk next. If signed into law, Idaho will become the fifth state to permit firing squads for executions. The bill will cost around $750,000 to refurbish the Department of Correction to meet safety and execution requirements for the firing squad.
The Idaho State Senate has passed a bill that would allow death by firing squad if lethal injection drugs are unavailable within five days of the issuance of a death warrant. The bill will go to Idaho Gov. Brad Little's desk next. The bill's house sponsor, Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa, said that the bill is important for victims, their families, and the rule of law. Idaho currently has eight death row inmates, and prosecutors have not yet ruled out seeking the death penalty in a high-profile quadruple murder case that left four University of Idaho students dead in November.
Idaho lawmakers have passed a bill that could allow prisoner executions by firing squad, making it the fifth US state to adopt the method if the bill is signed into law. The move comes as the state has been unable to get the drugs needed to carry out lethal injections, the only legal method of capital punishment in Idaho. The bill is now headed to Idaho Gov. Brad Little for signature. Critics argue that using a firing squad for executions sends a "brutal message" and reverts to older methods of execution that are considered cruel and unusual punishment.
