South Carolina is set to carry out an execution this week using a firing squad, a method that has not been used in the United States for almost 15 years.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, five methods have been used: lethal injection, electrocution, gas chamber, firing squad, and hanging.
Lethal Injection: The Most Common Method
Lethal injection is the most widely used form of execution, with 1,428 cases recorded since 1976. Texas has carried out the highest number, with 593 executions. This method involves injecting a combination of deadly drugs into a prisoner who is strapped to a table.
Although lethal injection is legal in 28 states, as well as for the federal government and military, it has faced several issues. Problems include difficulty finding veins, clogged needles, and shortages of the required drugs. Because of these challenges, some states are looking into alternative execution methods.
Electrocution: Less Frequent in Recent Years
Nine states, including Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee, allow electrocution, where the inmate is strapped to a chair, and electric shocks between 500 and 2,000 volts are delivered. Since 1976, 163 people have died this way, but its use has declined, with only 19 executions since 2000.
Tennessee was the last state to use the electric chair in 2020. Texas previously used electrocution from 1924 to 1964, executing 361 inmates with a device called “Old Sparky,” now displayed in a museum.
Lethal Gas: Recently Revived
Eight states, including Arizona, California, and Missouri, have lethal gas as an option. This method was first introduced in 1979 and was last used in 1999. Inmates were placed in a sealed chamber where cyanide gas was released, causing death.
In 2024, Alabama became the first state to use nitrogen gas for execution, where a mask was placed over the prisoner’s face, replacing oxygen with nitrogen. The latest execution using this method occurred in February.
Firing Squad: A Rarely Used Option
Only three people have been executed by firing squad in the U.S. since 1977, all in Utah, with the most recent case in 2010. Five states allow it, including South Carolina, but it is not the main execution method.
This method involves strapping the inmate to a chair and firing bullets at the heart from a short distance. Idaho is considering making firing squads its primary execution method due to problems obtaining lethal injection drugs. Some lawmakers have proposed using a machine to fire the guns automatically.
Hanging: Once the Main Execution Method
Hanging was the most common way to carry out executions in the U.S. until the late 1800s. From 1608 to 2002, more than 9,000 people were executed this way. The prisoner would have their hands and legs tied, a noose placed around their neck, and a trapdoor would open beneath them.
However, in modern times, hanging has become very rare. Only three people have been executed this way since the 1990s. In New Hampshire, hanging is still an option if lethal injection is unavailable for the state’s last remaining death row inmate.
