View Full Version : Atfermath: Utah firing squad
wild_wild_wes
06-19-10, 00:08
Not long after midnight, the talking and the waiting were finally over. Peering down the barrels of their .30 calibre Winchester rifles at a hooded figure with a white cloth target pinned over his heart, five men steadied themselves to take the life of the sixth.
The men with the hunting rifles were police marksmen - and, now, executioners. The man in the chair was double murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner, who had spent the last 25 years hoping this moment would never come.
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii173/USPx4/chair1.jpg
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii173/USPx4/chair2.jpg
Such was the clamour among local police to take part in this historic execution that names had to be drawn from a hat.
thopkins22
06-19-10, 00:16
Such was the clamour among local police to take part in this historic execution that names had to be drawn from a hat.
That's a little much for my tastes, but I do think the firing squad should continue to be an option for the folks on death row.
i'm a little surprised at the spread on those holes.. either they were really close to the guy, and the rounds crossed that much at zero, or a couple guys had the shakes.
anybody have any info on squad formation, distance, load used, etc?
Model 94 30-30 but not sure what ammo.
i'm a little surprised at the spread on those holes.. either they were really close to the guy, and the rounds crossed that much at zero, or a couple guys had the shakes.
I would probably have shot Gardner in the knee cap and then claimed to have had the shakes. ;)
CENTCOM_Survivor
06-19-10, 01:08
Should have been on live TV!!
bye bye scum ,I just hated they waited 25 yrs .his victims didn't get a long wait ,they should have dragged him out back after the trail,it would have saved us taxpayers a boat load of cash
I think people who choose this form of execution do it out of spite. Sure the guys in the Firing squad are fine with it. However some of the witnesses are not ready for the sight of someone getting shot. And honestly I think that pays into the decision for these sick ****s.
Bobert0989
06-19-10, 03:59
The Utah statute authorizing execution by firing squad only provides: "If the judgment of death is to be carried out by shooting, the executive director of the department or his designee shall select a five-person firing squad of peace officers." At the appropriate time, the condemned offender is led to the execution area or chamber, which is used for both lethal injection and firing squad executions. The offender is placed in a specially designed chair which has a pan beneath it to catch and conceal blood and other fluids. Restraints are applied to the offender's arms, legs, chest and head. A head restraint is applied loosely around the offender's neck to hold his neck and head in an upright position. The offender is dressed in a dark blue outfit with a white cloth circle attached by Velcro to the area over the offender's heart. Behind the offender are sandbags to absorb the volley and prevent ricochets. Approximately 20 feet directly in front of the offender is a wall. This wall has firing ports for each member of the firing squad. The weapons used are 30_30 caliber rifles. No special ammunition is used. Following the offender's statement, a hood is placed over the offender's head. The warden leaves the room. The firing squad members stand in the firing position. They support their rifles on the platform rests. With their rifle barrels in the firing ports, the team members sight through open sights on the white cloth circle on the offender's chest. On the command to fire, the squad fires simultaneously. One squad member has a blank charge in his weapon but no member knows which member is designated to receive this blank charge.
http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/methods.htm
wild_wild_wes
06-19-10, 09:00
MS Paint
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2554/23036851.png
Moose-Knuckle
06-19-10, 10:19
Cool sand bags...wonder who makes them.
Bobert0989
06-19-10, 10:32
MS Paint
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2554/23036851.png
You left out the one gunner with the blank in his rifle... ;)
MS Paint
http://img14.imageshack.us/img14/2554/23036851.png
It's a good thought but if you imagine a line passing from that far right hole in the wall through an imaginary point in the center where his chest would be that would put the left shooter almost beside the guy shooting through an imaginary hole in the wide wall. Bottom line, these guys weren't that good. Maybe next time instead of drawing names out of hat for those zealous enough to want to do it they actually select the BEST shooters from the volunteers. There's a thought.
Also, what's with the sand bags to the right/left? These 'sharp shooters' are supposed to hit a small target that's critical yet they have several 'just in case' sand bags to either side of them a few feet out?
LegalAlien
06-19-10, 14:27
i'm a little surprised at the spread on those holes.. either they were really close to the guy, and the rounds crossed that much at zero, or a couple guys had the shakes.
anybody have any info on squad formation, distance, load used, etc?
Those were my thoughts originally as well, until I realized that the spread might also be attributed to the bullets hitting and deflecting off breastbone, ribs, and/or spine on their way through.
At 20ft, I don't think they could have been much off the target on his chest. I will give them the benefit of the doubt on this.
It's a good thought but if you imagine a line passing from that far right hole in the wall through an imaginary point in the center where his chest would be that would put the left shooter almost beside the guy shooting through an imaginary hole in the wide wall. Bottom line, these guys weren't that good. Maybe next time instead of drawing names out of hat for those zealous enough to want to do it they actually select the BEST shooters from the volunteers. There's a thought.
5 shooters, equally spaced at 2' apart (my assumption, which is conservative as far as the end result) at a distance of 20' to the target, if all shooters hit the same point, the bullets would have a spread of 1.8" at a distance of 18" behind the target (1.2" at 12" behind target). The pictures above don't really make it seem to me like they had no clue what they were doing.
5 shooters, equally spaced at 2' apart (my assumption, which is conservative as far as the end result) at a distance of 20' to the target, if all shooters hit the same point, the bullets would have a spread of 1.8" at a distance of 18" behind the target (1.2" at 12" behind target). The pictures above don't really make it seem to me like they had no clue what they were doing.
That makes sense. Also note nearly all the spread is horizontal and not vertical.
Winchester Model 94's have a horrible trigger, IMHO. Even at that range, it's not hard to shank a shot, particularly with the world "watching."
Still don't know why they used 94's.
Winchester Model 94's have a horrible trigger, IMHO. Even at that range, it's not hard to shank a shot, particularly with the world "watching."
Still don't know why they used 94's.
Given the method of execution they are probably literally from 1894 and the tool prescribed by statute written around the same time.
:D
kaiservontexas
06-19-10, 15:42
I never understood this . . . why not a large bore weapon at near point blank to the head? I know that is a morbid thought, but I had it none-the-less.
As for the type of rifle, well, I agree why are they using Win. 94s?
Given the method of execution they are probably literally from 1894 and the tool prescribed by statute written around the same time.
:D
That may be very well be the answer, and the only one that makes sense.
I can honestly say I wouldn't want to be one pulling the trigger. I know the guy was a murdering piece of shit. But shooting at a guy strapped to a chair just seems wrong, I know there's no other way to do it, I guess that's why I wouldn't want to do it. More power to those who can.
I'm sure it's a hell of a lot nicer than an injection, or the chair. But it's just far more intimate (if thats the word Im looking for) while those other methods are clinical and detached.
wild_wild_wes
06-19-10, 16:57
5 shooters, equally spaced at 2' apart (my assumption, which is conservative as far as the end result) at a distance of 20' to the target, if all shooters hit the same point, the bullets would have a spread of 1.8" at a distance of 18" behind the target (1.2" at 12" behind target). The pictures above don't really make it seem to me like they had no clue what they were doing.
They just need more practice is all. Plenty of convicts left.
I for one would have no problem doing this.
rickrock305
06-19-10, 19:16
I can honestly say I wouldn't want to be one pulling the trigger. I know the guy was a murdering piece of shit. But shooting at a guy strapped to a chair just seems wrong, I know there's no other way to do it, I guess that's why I wouldn't want to do it. More power to those who can.
I'm sure it's a hell of a lot nicer than an injection, or the chair. But it's just far more intimate (if thats the word Im looking for) while those other methods are clinical and detached.
next time they should let him go in the woods and charge admission to hunt him down. confirmed killer gets a refund. put it on espn, or whatever channel that Mantracker show is on. better yet, pay per view, make a real killing off of it. I think this has Arpaio's (sp?) name all over it. he could even make him wear pink.
Around the time the statute was written, 30-30's were probably a very common sight. Like back when every tom dick and harry in a rural area learned to shoot with a 30-30 and even more kept and used them. Police departments probably used them a lot maybe? Most common rifle maybe? Who knows
variablebinary
06-19-10, 22:36
They just need more practice is all. Plenty of convicts left.
I for one would have no problem doing this.
Not only do I not have a problem with this, I want to know where to send my resume...especially for child molesters/abusers/killers. Putting bullets in them is better than playing MW2 with hacks
thopkins22
06-19-10, 23:40
especially for child molesters/abusers/killers. Putting bullets in them is better than playing MW2 with hacks
I'm loving it.:)
And to think that at this hour yesterday I thought you and I were operating out of vastly different moral playbooks...I'm happy to say that they're only moderately different. The very violent(particularly towards children) shouldn't get parole, they deserve nothing less than four bullet wounds spread across their chest.
ETA:Still not too keen on the notion of needing a drawing due to the number of people that want to, but I'm happy there are enough to fill the slots.
If they were to pick any of the other means of execution, and said they needed 5 “Volunteers”, do you think they would have gotten as many “Volunteers”? Were most of these volunteers after restitution, or after vengeance, or after the sport.
If you wanted to be on the firing squad, what would your motive be?
I have been known to say, "Execute them, in the same manor they Executed in".
next time they should let him go in the woods and charge admission to hunt him down. confirmed killer gets a refund. put it on espn, or whatever channel that Mantracker show is on. better yet, pay per view, make a real killing off of it. I think this has Arpaio's (sp?) name all over it. he could even make him wear pink.
i know you're kidding, but we're better than this.
theblackknight
06-20-10, 03:06
Not only do I not have a problem with this, I want to know where to send my resume...
When you find out, let me know.
i'd volunteer for pedophiles or enemy combatants. not too keen on shooting someone for shooting a lawyer, though...
Bobert0989
06-20-10, 03:34
I don't think I could find the heart (or lack thereof) to shoot a man/woman strapped into a chair, unless they have killed/molested/raped a child, or have hurt a member of my family.
I wouldn't be throwing my name in a hat though, that's for sure. If it was offered, I might accept depending on the circumstances, but am not very eager to take a stranger's life if I don't have the power to give said life back. Only under particular circumstances.
Bobert0989
06-20-10, 03:36
.... Putting bullets in them is better than playing MW2 with hacks
What's your gamertag? Lol...
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