Firing Squads Expose the Brutality of the Death Penalty
The article examines how the use of firing squads in executions highlights the inherent brutality of the death penalty. It references recent cases where firing squads have been employed and discusses the public and legal reactions to those executions. The author argues that the method underscores the need to reevaluate capital punishment policies.
- ▪Firing squads remain a legal method of execution in a few U.S. states that retain the death penalty.
- ▪Recent executions by firing squad have sparked criticism for their graphic and violent nature.
- ▪The piece outlines historical and legal arguments surrounding the use of firing squads as a form of capital punishment.
- ▪The author calls for a reconsideration of the death penalty in light of the method's demonstrated cruelty.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTYou have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.OpinionSupported bySKIP ADVERTISEMENTGuest EssayFiring Squads Expose the Brutality of the Death PenaltyMay 18, 2026Credit...Steffen KernListen · 7:08 min Share full article476By Maurice ChammahMr. Chammah is a staff writer at The Marshall Project and the author of “Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty.” !function(){var e="gps_module_impressions",s="gps_suppress_module",t=new URLSearchParams(window.location.search),o="1"===t.get("gps_debug")?function(e,s){console.log("[gps]",e,void…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NYT — Opinion.