Hundred Hand

Utah just executed a man via firing squad for the 3rd time since the practice became once again legal 32 years ago. It was pretty appropriate because the executie (definintion: an attractive person which is executed) had shot 2 people to death.

The interesting part of this for me are the measures they take during the execution. First, all of gunsmen are police officiers who volunteered to be on the squad. However, their identities are all hidden; I assume they wear some type of hood. One of the 7 men has blanks in their gun, so no one can truely know if they killed the guy or not. Finally, they start a countdown for the firing at 5, but they all fire at the count of 2, instead of 0 or FIRE or whatevs.

While the laws that allow this practice make sense to me, it’s strange that the method of execution takes into account the mental state of both the executors and the condemned. Perhaps that 1 in 7 chance of having blanks is enough reasonable doubt for most people to reconcile themselves if they start to feel guilty. On the other end of things, I think I would appreciate them firing earlier than expected. Even though the person is about to die, and under considerable streign from their coming fate, they spare them the worst 2 seconds of anticipation.

I believe that the death penalty is a necessary evil, but I don’t often consider what it must be like for the people involved in these proceedings. I’m happy to know someone put some thought into this.