Alternative execution methods: House Bill 638 passes legislature

A bill is on its way to the governor to allow firing squads as an option to carry out executions.
House Bill 638 still has lethal injection, which is now used, as the first option, but if the state’s lethal injection protocol is ruled unconstitutional then other options could be used.
The final bill, adopted Tuesday, says method of execution following lethal injection would be gas, electrocution, and firing squad. Governor Phil Bryant and Attorney General Jim Hood have both signaled their support for the bill.
The last time Mississippi executed a death row inmate was 2012. Since then lawsuits over the drug protocol have stalled executions. Forty-seven inmates remain on death row today.