Idaho lawmakers push firing squad execution method before Bryan Kohberger trial

Idaho is on the verge of making history as the first state to use a firing squad as its primary method of execution. This comes months before the trial of college murder suspect Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students.

Currently, only five states – Idaho, Utah, South Carolina, Oklahoma, and Mississippi – allow firing squads for executions. However, none of these states have the firing squad as their primary method of execution, according to data from the Death Penalty Information Center.

House Bill 37, which would make the firing squad the primary execution method in Idaho, has moved to the Senate floor for a vote after passing the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee. Lethal injection is currently the primary method of execution in Idaho, with nine people on death row.

The bill sponsor, Rep. Bruce Skaug, believes that the firing squad is a more certain and humane method of execution compared to lethal injection. He cited the botched lethal injection of condemned serial killer Thomas Eugene Creech as evidence of the problems with that method.

However, not everyone is in favor of the bill. Republican Sen. Dan Foreman opposes the use of firing squads, calling it cruel and inhumane. He believes that it is beneath the dignity of the state of Idaho.

Despite opposition, the bill must pass both the Idaho House and Senate and avoid a potential veto from the governor to become law. This development comes as prosecutors seek the death penalty for Bryan Kohberger, who faces charges in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students.

Kohberger’s mental health records have also been brought into question as a potential mitigating factor in his case. Defense attorney Edwina Elcox believes that these records could play a role in sparing his life if convicted.

As the trial of Bryan Kohberger approaches, Idaho stands at a crossroads in its approach to the death penalty. The decision on House Bill 37 could have far-reaching implications for the future of executions in the state.