politics
US to Bring Back Gas Chambers, Electric Chairs, Firing Squads for Federal Executions
Justice Department says it will also streamline internal processes to “expedite death penalty cases”
TL;DR
- The US Justice Department will re-adopt firing squads, electrocution, and gas asphyxiation for federal executions.
- The department is expanding the lethal injection protocol used during the Trump administration and streamlining processes to expedite death penalty cases.
- This decision reverses former President Joe Biden's approach of pausing federal executions.
- US public support for the death penalty has declined, with a slim majority in favor.
- The United States is the only country in the Americas that actively carries out executions, while most countries have abolished the death penalty.
- Russia retains the death penalty but has a moratorium in place, with debate ongoing about its potential reintroduction.