Some U.S. jurisdictions have authorized or introduced the firing squad as an execution method when shortages or difficulties obtaining drugs for lethal injection made lethal injection impracticable.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
Policy response to shortages of lethal injection drugs.
South Carolina experienced an unintended 13-year pause in executions caused by difficulties obtaining drugs for lethal injection, which led state lawmakers to authorize alternative execution methods.
November 06, 2025
high
temporal
State-level pause in executions and legislative response related to lethal injection drug shortages.
As of 2025-10-10, 27 U.S. states had legal death penalty statutes.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
The count refers to U.S. states that maintain capital punishment in law.
As of 2025-10-10, Indiana was one of two U.S. states that prohibited media witnesses from observing executions.
October 10, 2025
high
policy
A small number of states restrict media access to executions; Indiana was among those restricting media witnesses.
Since 1977, only three prisoners in the United States, all in Utah, have been executed by firing squad.
January 01, 1977
high
historical
Summarizes the historical incidence of firing-squad executions in the U.S. since 1977.
Pentobarbital is a powerful sedative that is used in lethal injection protocols for executions.
high
medical
Describes a drug commonly used in execution protocols and associated concerns about its handling and availability.
Under U.S. federal law, certain murder-for-hire offenses can be eligible for the death penalty and proceed to a separate penalty-phase hearing where a jury evaluates aggravating and mitigating factors, including evidence about intent and premeditation.
high
temporal
Federal capital cases use a distinct sentencing phase to determine death-penalty eligibility.
The U.S. federal death penalty is a punishment authorized by Congress for certain federal offenses.
high
legal
Federal capital punishment is established by federal statutes enacted by the United States Congress.