Missouri Lawmaker Wants Firing Squads, Too

Proposed bill follows similar one in Wyoming
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 17, 2014 5:01 PM CST
Updated Jan 19, 2014 7:00 PM CST
Missouri Lawmaker Wants Firing Squads, Too
   (Shutterstock)

Do two states make a trend? After a lawmaker in Wyoming proposed the return of firing squads, a lawmaker in Missouri has done the same, reports Raw Story. State Rep. Rick Brattin filed a bill this week that would allow the state to execute prisoners the old-fashioned way, in part because of the national shortage of drugs typically used. "If the judgment of death is to be carried out by firing squad, the director of the department of corrections shall select a five-person firing squad consisting of licensed peace officers," reads his bill.

The topic is gaining more steam after Thursday's controversial execution of Ohio inmate Dennis McGuire with untested drugs. McGuire struggled to breathe for about 10 minutes, and his family is now suing after likening it to "torture." The prospects for Brattin's bill aren't clear. But Pitch.com takes note of another of his in the pipeline: He wants to require schools that teach evolution to notify parents and allow them to opt out. (More firing squad stories.)

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