Indiana law allows only lethal injection for executions, but a new proposal would add the option of a firing squad.
State lawmakers heard public testimony Tuesday on a bill authored by Mike Young, which would permit the use of firearms to carry out a death sentence. Young told the committee the measure is not about whether the death penalty is legal in Indiana, but about how the state can carry out court-ordered executions if its only current method becomes unavailable.
Indiana uses the drug pentobarbital for lethal injections. The drug is costly, has a limited shelf life, and can be difficult for the state to obtain.
Opponents of the bill argued the proposal would not address the broader costs tied to capital punishment. Indiana Public Defender Council policy director Zachary Stock said switching methods would not significantly reduce expenses associated with executions.
The bill remains under discussion in the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law. No vote has been taken.
Indiana currently has four inmates who have been determined competent for execution.
FROM INDIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING
