The firing squad, a method of execution with a long and complex history in the United States, is set to be used for the first time in 15 years in South Carolina. On Friday, Brad Sigmon, convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001, will face a firing squad, a method he chose over the electric chair and lethal injection.
The history of firing squads in the US dates back to colonial times, when it was used as a punishment for mutiny. In 1608, captain George Kendall, was executed by firing squad in Jamestown, Virginia, for suspected mutiny and conspiracy with Spain. This marked the first recorded execution by shooting in America.
During the Civil War, firing squads were used by both sides to execute deserters and create a “public spectacle” to maintain discipline. According to the Associated Press, Mark Smith, a history professor at the University of South Carolina, firing squads were designed to shock and intimidate, with the added element of uncertainty, as one of the executioners would often be given a blank cartridge.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Utah became the primary state to use firing squads, with at least 40 executions carried out by this method. One notable case was the execution of labour activist and songwriter Joe Hill in 1915. Hill, who maintained his innocence until the end, was shot by a firing squad in Utah State Prison.
However, the use of firing squads declined as lethal injection became the preferred method of execution in the 1980s. Lethal injection was initially seen as a more humane alternative, but it has since been plagued by botched executions and difficulties in obtaining the required drugs.
In recent years, however, some states have reconsidered firing squads as an alternative to lethal injection. According to Deborah Denno, a criminologist at Fordham School of Law, firing squads have been relatively reliable, with only two reported cases of botched executions. Denno has argued that firing squads may be a more humane alternative to lethal injection, as they are typically quicker and less prone to error.
In South Carolina, Sigmon’s decision to choose the firing squad over other methods has sparked debate. His attorney, Gerald “Bo” King, stated that Sigmon chose the firing squad because the alternatives seemed worse. The execution will be carried out by volunteer officers, with Sigmon bound to a chair and a target placed over his heart.
As the US continues to grapple with the ethics and practicalities of capital punishment, the use of firing squads raises complex questions about the nature of justice and the value of human life.
