|
Lethal
Injection is now the standard execution method.
Since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, only about 150 executions
have been by electric chair, about 10 by gas chamber and
less than 5 by hanging or firing squad.
|
| The Lethal
Injection is usually 3 different
chemicals: one which numbs the person, one which paralyzes
their muscles (including the lungs) and one which causes
a heart attack. |
| How Lethal
Injections are given is now under review by the U.S.
Supreme Court. Questions have been raised about whether the
current cocktail of drugs in the injections cause the prisoner
to feel pain which he cannot express due to the paralyzing
chemicals. If so, it might be judged to be in violation of
the Constitution which prohibits "cruel or unusual punishment." The
Supreme Court is expected to rule on this issue in the Spring
of 2008. |
States
which still have Electrocution on
the books:
AL, AR, FL, KY, NE, OK, SC, TN, VA
Most
of these states, with the exception of Nebraska,
also use Lethal Injection.
Arkansas allows those prisoners sentenced to death before 1983
to choose between lethal injection and electrocution.
Kentucky and Tennessee does the same for those
sentenced before 1998.
Oklahoma would use electrocution only if lethal
injections are found to be unconstitutional (and firing squad
if electrocution is also found unconstitutional).
|
States
which still have the Gas
Chamber on
the books:
AZ, CA, MO, WY
All
of these states
also use Lethal Injection.
Arizona allows prisoners sentenced
to death before 1992 to choose between lethal injection and
the gas chamber.
Wyoming would
use the gas chamber only if lethal injections are found to be unconstitutional.
|
States
which still have death by Hanging
on the books:
DE, NH, WA
All
of these states also use Lethal Injection.
Delaware allows prisoners sentenced to death
before 1986 to choose between lethal injection and hanging.
New Hampshire would use hanging only if
lethal injections were not possible. |
States
which still have death by Firing
Squad on
the books:
ID, OK, UT
All
of these states also use Lethal Injection.
Oklahoma would use a firing squad only if
lethal injections and electrocution are both found to be unconstitutional.
Utah would use a firing squad only if
lethal injections were not possible. |