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 @ISIDEWITHNewsDaily DiscussionSupreme CourtStateConservativelawJusticeSouth Carolinadeath penaltyFiring Squad•••1mo ago

South Carolina Supreme Court rules death penalty by firing squad legal

The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that death by firing squad and other forms of execution commonly held to be cruel and unusual are legal in the state if the inmate requests the method of execution.

The ruling comes after the state passed a law in 2021 allowing executions by firing squad and electrocution in addition to lethal injection, in response to a shortage of lethal injection drugs and a rise in mishaps during executions.

That law made electrocution the default method of execution, as the state could not find a reliable source for lethal injection drugs.

Death row inmates sued the state over the change, but the conservative-majority court sided with state prosecutors. Executions are expected to resume again in the state following the ruling.

No execution has been performed in South Carolina since 2011. There are currently 32 inmates on death row in the state.

Justice John Few wrote in the majority decision that the 2021 law was not intended to cause additional suffering, but rather was a “sincere effort to make the death penalty less inhumane while enabling the state to carry out its laws.”

13 Replies

 @PenguinJakeWomen’s Equalityfrom Maine commented…1mo1MO

The death penalty should be barred on the federal level, but getting a constitutional amendment through to bar the government from murdering its citizens in such a manner might be difficult.

 @L1b3rtyAnteaterGreenfrom Virgin Islands commented…1mo1MO

Someone must explain to me how anyone can be Christian and believe in the death penalty. A lot of people are going to get to heaven and some tapes are going to be rolled back.

 @BipartisanBoarsSocialistfrom North Carolina commented…1mo1MO

At least its cheap but i prefer the guillotine

 @D3baterCamelGreenfrom California commented…1mo1MO

A firing squad isn't really appropriate for the town square at noon.

 @PeskyLobbyistRepublicanfrom Utah commented…1mo1MO

This may be reasonable. For some heinous criminals, it is also a warning to those who want to commit crimes.

 @YearningCheeseGreen from Illinois commented…1mo1MO

It’s funny how America doesn’t realise it’s a barbaric **** hole.

 @PepperFrankDemocrat from Illinois commented…1mo1MO

Starting to feel like the fact that the South lost was the actual lie. Perhaps a gentlemanly agreement that they could do what they wanted in the South so the federal govt got to export those things that worked to the rest of the country and outsource harm to a willing antagonist

 @FreeTradeDovesDemocrat from Colorado commented…1mo1MO

Ahhh the pro-life party.

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1mo1MO

How does the decision to resume executions, including by firing squad, reflect on society's values and its approach to justice and punishment?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1mo1MO

Should the personal preference of an inmate on death row influence the method of their execution, or should there be a standard method for all?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1mo1MO

Considering the difficulties in obtaining drugs for lethal injection, is it ethical for states to turn to alternatives like firing squads or electrocution?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1mo1MO

Do you believe that the implementation of a firing squad can ever be considered a 'less inhumane' method of carrying out the death penalty?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1mo1MO

How do you feel about the option of choosing a method of execution, such as a firing squad, being available to death row inmates?

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…1wk1W

Kamala Harris says she will not ban fracking

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