INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow death row inmates to choose execution by firing squad, a move supporters say could reduce costs and opponents call unnecessary and inhumane.
The United States executed 47 people last year, the largest number since 2009, according to the Indiana Public Defenders Council. 80% were carried out by lethal injection, and 19 took place in Florida.
According to The Death Penalty Information Center, five states currently allow execution by firing squad: Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah. The bill filed by Republican State Sen. Mike Young would let Indiana’s death row inmates choose that option instead of lethal injection and could be used if the lethal injection drug is not available at the time of the execution.
"Why are we forced to spend more money than we would have to? Even against the wishes of the inmate,” State Sen. Young said.
The cost of the lethal injection drug is estimated at $300,000. Zach Stock of the Indiana Public Defenders Council testified against the legislation and said the bill is not really about cost.
"There are only three active capital cases, and I should put active in quotes because of those three, one has been declared incompetent to stand trial very recently,” Stock said. “So we don't need large quantities of drugs now, and we are unlikely to need them in the future."
Stock said since 1990, Indiana has spent more than $30 million on constitutionally required defense, including both state and county portions for capital cases. No one who was at the hearing testified in support of the legislation, including the Indiana Catholic Conference, which opposes the bill.
"When we commit violence against another man, we not only hurt him, we hurt the image of God in him, and that affects the humanity in all of us. For this reason, killing someone, especially by firearm, should be resorted to in only the most necessary and life-threatening situations,” Roarke LaCoursiere of the Indiana Catholic Conference said.
Sen. Young argued the change would make financial sense.
"If it's $300,000 and you can carry out an execution for $50, I would rather save taxpayer money if the prisoner wishes to be executed by firing squad," Sen. Young said.
Indiana has five people on death row; one has been deemed incompetent to be executed. A vote on the bill is expected next week. If it passes out of committee, it will head to the full Senate for consideration.
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