Idaho Governor Signs Bill Allowing Execution by Firing Squad Amid Nationwide Drug Shortage

Idaho has become the latest state to turn to older methods of capital punishment due to a nationwide shortage of lethal-injection drugs. Republican Governor Brad Little recently signed a bill allowing execution by firing squad, joining Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina as the only states with such laws.

The bill stipulates that firing squads will only be used if the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. This shortage has prompted other states in recent years to revive older methods of execution. Pharmaceutical companies have largely barred executioners from using their drugs, citing that they were meant to save lives.

One Idaho death row inmate has already had his execution postponed multiple times due to the drug scarcity. The shortage of lethal-injection drugs has been a growing problem for states across the country, and Idaho is the latest to take action.

The new law is expected to take effect on July 1, 2020. It is unclear how many inmates will be affected by the new law, or how soon the state will be able to obtain the necessary drugs for lethal injections. It remains to be seen how the new law will be implemented and what impact it will have on the state’s death row inmates.