In a significant policy shift, the U.S. Justice Department has announced that it will now allow firing squads as a method of execution. Officials revealed this new rule as part of a broader effort to accelerate federal executions, a practice that slowed during the Biden administration.
The department is also reinstating the use of pentobarbital for lethal injections, which was previously removed due to concerns about causing excessive pain. The Trump administration had resumed federal executions at an unprecedented rate, leading the U.S. to carry out 13 executions during its term, showcasing a stark contrast to the more restrained approach under the current administration.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, “The previous administration failed its duty to protect Americans,” while emphasizing President Trump's commitment to enforcing the law vigorously. This renewed focus has led to only three defendants remaining on federal death row, as 37 sentences were commuted to life in prison under Biden.
Currently, only five states in America permit execution by firing squad: Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah. Legal experts are divided on the ethical implications and efficacy of such execution methods, especially concerning potential suffering caused to the condemned.
