Is bringing back firing squads for executions a good idea?

By MICHAEL TARM
AP Legal Affairs Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — The image of gunmen in a row firing in unison into the chest of a condemned prisoner may conjure up a bygone, less enlightened era. But the idea of using firing squads is making a comeback. Idaho lawmakers passed a bill this week seeking to add the state to the list of those authorizing firing squads. Currently that is Mississippi, Utah, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Renewed interest comes in part as states scramble for alternatives to lethal injection after pharmaceuticals barred the use of their drugs. Some say firing squads are less cruel and painful than lethal injection, and less likely to be botched. Others say it’s not so cut-and-dry and there are other factors to consider.