South Carolina Adding Firing Squads For Death Penalties

Death Row inmates in South Carolina previously had been given the option of the electric chair or death by lethal injection. According to AP, incarcerated individuals facing the death penalty often would choose to die by lethal injection with a purpose. Since there has been a shortage of legal injection drugs, this would provide a significant delay for execution. This strategic method has kept the state of South Carolina clear of performing an execution for at least 10 years.

This new bill is the considerable effort toward restarting executions in S.C. The state currently has close to 40 inmates on Death Row.

Only three people in the United States have been executed by firing squad since 1977.