Idaho has published detailed procedures for its new firing squad executions, outlining how volunteer police officers will train, where they will stand, and what happens if the first volley of bullets fails to kill the prisoner. The state became the first in the US to make the firing squad its default execution method, effective July 1, after a failed lethal injection attempt in February 2024.
Failed Lethal Injection Prompted Change
The shift followed Idaho's unsuccessful attempt to execute convicted murderer Thomas Eugene Creech by lethal injection in February 2024. Execution staff spent about an hour trying to establish an intravenous line, puncturing Creech multiple times before abandoning the procedure. The failed execution reignited criticism of lethal injection and led lawmakers to adopt the firing squad as the primary method.
Volunteer Officers and Strict Selection
Rather than using specialist prison staff, Idaho will recruit six volunteer law enforcement officers for each execution. Three officers will fire the fatal shots, while two alternates remain on standby. A sixth officer acts as team leader, loading the rifles and directing the execution. Only the prison director and deputy director will know the volunteers' identities, protected under state law.
Eligibility rules are strict: officers must have at least three years of Peace Officer Standards and Training certification, no disciplinary findings involving firearms or excessive force, and cannot be related by blood or marriage to the prisoner, victim, or their families. Each volunteer must repeatedly hit a heart-sized target without missing during firearms testing.
Training and Chamber Specifications
Volunteers must complete quarterly live-fire training throughout the year, switching to weekly training and full rehearsals once an execution warrant is signed. Executions will take place at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution south of Boise, in a $1.2 million conversion of the execution chamber. Over $900,000 went on construction, with architectural design and engineering adding another $314,000. The state also bought five Daniel Defense DD5-P rifles for more than $24,000, described by the manufacturer as 'engineered for reliability in demanding conditions'.
Execution Day Protocol
The day before the execution, the prisoner is offered a mild sedative, with a further sedative possible hours before. The inmate is escorted into the chamber and strapped into a specially designed chair. Medical equipment monitors the heart while a target is placed over the chest. The prison director reads the death warrant and offers the inmate a final statement. Prisoners may request an eye mask.
The three shooters stand about ten yards away behind a protective wall, firing through a narrow opening to reduce exposure and psychological impact. Each officer fires a single .308-calibre round at the prisoner's heart simultaneously. Medical staff monitor heart activity via electrocardiogram for up to two minutes. If officials determine the prisoner is still alive, they can authorize a second round of shots before the county coroner pronounces death.
Death Row Population and Reactions
Eight inmates currently sit on Idaho's death row—seven men and one woman, all convicted of murder. Supporters argue firing squads offer more dependable executions after years of problems with lethal injection drugs and failed procedures. Opponents question the ethics of capital punishment.
Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, said: 'Every new execution method in history has been introduced with the promise that it will be foolproof and "more humane" than the previous method. Unfortunately, those promises have always been broken.' She criticized the $1 million-plus taxpayer cost for 'a firing squad, a method of execution that has already proven to be as flawed as any other.'
Idaho Department of Correction director Bree Derrick defended the plans: 'The Idaho Department of Correction recognises the gravity of carrying out a court-ordered execution and the responsibility that comes with it. Our procedures are designed to ensure that any execution is conducted in a secure, orderly, and dignified manner while safeguarding the rights of all individuals involved and maintaining the safety and security of staff, witnesses, and the public.'
