South Carolina House Adds Firing Squad As An Option For Execution Methods

On Wednesday, the South Carolina House voted to add a firing squad option to the state’s execution methods due to the current lack of lethal injection drugs. The measure is also meant to jump-start executions in a state that once had one of the busiest death chambers in the country.

According to ABC7, the bill was approved by a 66-43 vote and will require condemned inmates to choose between the option of being shot or electrocuted if lethal injection drugs aren’t available.

The Senate had approved the bill in March, in a vote of 32-11. The House approved it after only making minor technical changes to that version, meaning that after a routine final vote in the House and then a signoff by the Senate, the bill will go to Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has already confirmed he will sign it.

South Carolina is one of only nine states that still use the electric chair and will become only the fourth to allow a firing squad.

The bill retains lethal injection as the primary method of execution if the state has the drugs, but if it doesn’t, the bill requires prison officials to use the electric chair or firing squad options.