Utah killer chooses death by firing squad

A convicted killer in Utah has chosen to be executed by firing squad instead of lethal injection, renewing a debate over what critics see as an antiquated, Old West-style of justice.

State court Judge Robin Reese signed the warrant Friday morning for Ronnie Lee Gardner, who killed an attorney during a failed attempt to escape from a Salt Lake City courthouse 25 years ago.

Gardner, 49, is scheduled for execution on June 18.

Under state law, Gardner was given the choice of being killed by lethal injection or shot by a five-man team of executioners firing from a set of matched rifles, a rarely used form of execution that harkens back to the 19th century when Utah was its own territory

After Reese said Gardner's avenues for appeal are exhausted and that he would sign the warrant, Gardner told the judge: "I would like the firing squad, please."


Heck, he has been in jail for 25 years and they are going to kill him too! He was at the courthouse because he killed another man, and was subsequently convicted of that, and was in cuffs surrounded by guards but somehow got slipped an .22 revolver and shot someone else before being shot and subdued himself. Talk about the wild-wild west!
I think that here in Canada murderers who get life basically end up doing 20 years or so before getting paroled (why do they call it a life sentence??). So they kept this double murderer behind bars for 25 years and then get to kill him! Woo-Hoo!
If I were the murderer I would also opt for death by firing squad, as long as they use 19th century rifles and, more importantly, 19th century ammunition!
Only in America - - The best goddamn country in the universe!!!