Shoot him dead ....

[Woody]

Shoot him dead. Yes, that's the order from the judge.

Utah State Judge Robin Reese on Friday ordered that Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49 be shot by a five-man team of executioners firing from a set of matched rifles. The firing squad is not often used in America. But will be used against Gardner in June.

Gardner was found guilty of killing an attorney.

Is this the right way to kill the guilty?

[bonnie]

Shoot him dead. Yes, that's the order from the judge.

Utah State Judge Robin Reese on Friday ordered that Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49 be shot by a five-man team of executioners firing from a set of matched rifles. The firing squad is not often used in America. But will be used against Gardner in June.

Gardner was found guilty of killing an attorney.

Is this the right way to kill the guilty?

This is being done by request of the convicted man.It is the way he wants it

[karl]

(April 23) -- A Utah killer has been granted his final wish.

Francisco Kjolseth, Pool / AP

Barring further legal intervention, on June 18 five police officers will line up, point rifles at convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner and fire.

Third District Judge Robin Reese signed the execution warrant today, after the 49-year-old Gardner told him, "I would like the firing squad, please."

Ronnie Lee Gardner, here in court Friday, is scheduled to be executed June 18.

The Utah Legislature passed a law in 2004 that prohibits using the firing squad as a method of execution; however, Gardner and 10 other Utah death row inmates were allowed to choose between a firing squad and lethal injection because they were sentenced before the law was introduced.

[doug yowell]

(April 23) -- A Utah killer has been granted his final wish.

Francisco Kjolseth, Pool / AP

Barring further legal intervention, on June 18 five police officers will line up, point rifles at convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner and fire.

Third District Judge Robin Reese signed the execution warrant today, after the 49-year-old Gardner told him, "I would like the firing squad, please."

Ronnie Lee Gardner, here in court Friday, is scheduled to be executed June 18.

The Utah Legislature passed a law in 2004 that prohibits using the firing squad as a method of execution; however, Gardner and 10 other Utah death row inmates were allowed to choose between a firing squad and lethal injection because they were sentenced before the law was introduced.

I wonder if he'll yell out "Police Brutality!!" just before they pull the trigger?

[Dr. Shane]

I wouldn't want to be one of those officers.

[bonnie]

I wouldn't want to be one of those officers.

Lethal injection leaves no room for doubt as to who the executioner is.Firing squad never knows who actually ended the prisoner's life

[SivartM]

Which would be worse, knowing or never being able to know?

[bonnie]

Which would be worse, knowing or never being able to know?

Never having been in that position I can't answer that.

[phkrause]

Which would be worse, knowing or never being able to know?

At that point I think it wont matter to the dead man.

pk

[lazarus]

If its the right thing to do it shouldn't matter who does it. They should all be proud.

[Dr. Shane]

I think psychologically it would affect me more if I was lining my sights up on someone's head and pulling the trigger rather than putting a needle in their arm and pushing a button to inject a deadly mixture of drugs.

[SivartM]

If its the right thing to do it shouldn't matter who does it. They should all be proud.

...?

If there's anything to be proud of it should be saving lives, not taking them (never mind whether or not the person deserves it). I can't imagine how awful it must be to have to kill someone. I would spend the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if they had lived another day.

[bonnie]

Quote:

If there's anything to be proud of it should be saving lives, not taking them (never mind whether or not the person deserves it).

The families of their victims must think along these lines as well..........should be saving lives, not taking them (never mind whether or not the person deserve

Quote:

I can't imagine how awful it must be to have to kill someone.

You could always ask those on death row how awful they feel

Quote:

I would spend the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if they had lived another day.

The death row inmate has had many one more day to live.Their victims did not. That one more day they were deprived off could mean the difference between eternal life or the loss of it.

The death row inmate has not days but many years generally to repent and seek redemption. He has that no matter how many he has deprived of that.It is his choice

[SivartM]

"(never mind whether or not the person deserves it)"

I'm personally afraid of anyone who would not feel any remorse for killing someone. It must be ever so nice to be able to say "shoot him dead" and not feel anything.

For the executioner, the point is not the victims. You can't do anything to bring them back to life. The point is the person you are about to kill. The person whose life is actually in your hands. Unless you are suggesting that executioners have no more conscience than serial killers.

And I have a feeling you aren't really concerned with how the criminal feels.

[bonnie]

Quote:

I'm personally afraid of anyone who would not feel any remorse for killing someone. It must be ever so nice to be able to say "shoot him dead" and not feel anything.

I don't know that anyone says "Shoot Him Dead" callously and feel nothing. I don't think that has been said

Quote:

For the executioner, the point is not the victims. You can't do anything to bring them back to life. The point is the person you are about to kill. The person whose life is actually in your hands. Unless you are suggesting that executioners have no more conscience than serial killers.

The person about to lose his life is the only one that canrepent and seek redemption. The executioner cannot do that.

His life was in the hands of the jury that convicted him.

I said absolutely nothing in regards to.... executioners have no more conscience than serial killers. Not sure where you would drag that from

Quote:

And I have a feeling you aren't really concerned with how the criminal feels.

I have a feeling you really don't care about the victims and the fear and terror they experienced.

Aside from that your feelings are again wrong. My first thought when someone has been brutally assaulted and killed is not the serial killer.

I drive past the prison every week when I go shopping. Do I think about those in there,YES. The mothers that go to see their sons,yes I think of mine and cannot imagine what they go thru,or the wives that go to see their husbands,or children their father.

But those feelings of concern and a short prayer as you go by is not in place of or first the "feelings of the killer".

The killer has many more days than he gave his victims.Many probably needed that one more day that he took away from them. It is his choice,not mine,I cannot make it for him.

[lazarus]

Originally Posted By: lazarus

If its the right thing to do it shouldn't matter who does it. They should all be proud.

...?

If there's anything to be proud of it should be saving lives, not taking them (never mind whether or not the person deserves it). I can't imagine how awful it must be to have to kill someone. I would spend the rest of my life wondering what would have happened if they had lived another day.

I don't agree with the death penalty. All this angst about the feelings of the executioner are irrelevant. If it's the right thing to do then those who feel uncomfortable doing it should be able to opt out and those who support it should be give the opportunity to do the deed and be proud.

[Dr. Shane]

I don't have a problem with the death penalty in principle. Killing a murderer, in most cases, is saving a life and perhaps many. Murders often kill again. Even if we leave them in prison, they often kill other prisoners. However just because I don't have a problem with the death penalty in principle, doesn't mean I would like to put someone's head in my sights and pull the trigger. That would both me.

I don't support the death penalty politically because 1. it is not used enough to be a deterrent. 2. The state has to pay too much in legal costs on appeals.

I support sentencing murderers to be sentenced to life without parole in hard-work camps. Non-murderers should never be confined in the same prison with murderers.