Current candidate claims he is not eligible for execution due to physical disability but state says he will be made comfortable until the time he appears before the firing squad.

" Last week, an execution warrant was signed for Ralph Leroy Menzies. He is scheduled to be put to death by firing squad just after midnight on Sept. 5."

" Five people and two alternates will be selected to carry out the execution. Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank."

" Menzies, 67, was convicted of murdering Maurine Hunsaker, a 26-year-old mother of three who worked at a gas station in Kearns, in 1986. His attorneys say Menzies should not be executed because he is "permanently incompetent and categorically exempt from the death penalty" because of his dementia."

"Garcia said his department will make sure Menzies is treated with respect and help him be as comfortable as possible in the weeks leading up to the execution date."






https://www.ksl.com/article/51345630/corrections-officials-preparing-for-firing-squad--utahs-2nd-execution-in-13-months

Are they also going to put a target on his heart?

I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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The legal system is what increases taxpayer cost. The death penalty itself is very cheap

GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Tell me more....

I always assumed a shot (syringe or bullet), was a lot cheaper than paying for someone with a life sentence, for decades upon decades.

Is that not the case?

Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

You could potentially make the money back by auctioning off the 5 squad members and 2 alternate positions. Especially for heinous crimes.

I'm a bit surprised we haven't moved on to robot fired executions in order to distribute the components of the task. I'm not saying I'd prefer it - but being a link in a kill chain adds emotional distance for the participants.

GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Well the cost would be a lot less if they killed these vermin within a few months of conviction. A few months for an appeal, then put them down.

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

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The point is the ease the consciousness of the firing squad. They aren't suppose to over think it and neither are you.

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

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If someone on the firing squad wanted to know for sure, he could always aim for the forehead.

Capt. Augustus McCrae said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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The legal system is what increases taxpayer cost. The death penalty itself is very cheap

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Lawyers are a blight on humanity. Unless they're in your employ. Then they're just a blight on your bank account.

Bring back being drawn and quartered

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

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You making this too difficult. The guy with one of these attached is the easy tell.

I'm not going to lose sleep over this dude's death, but what the hell are we doing? What does it solve when we kill a 67 year old dementia patient who probably can't even remember the crime he committed just shy of 40 years ago? There's no deterrence or punishment here, it's just naked bloodlust.

one safe place said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Well the cost would be a lot less if they killed these vermin within a few months of conviction. A few months for an appeal, then put them down.

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How about we put that plan to a vote, and anyone who votes yes has to sacrifice a family member or themselves if someone put to death is exonerated? It's fine to support a fastrack to the death penalty when other people pay for its mistakes, but how about those asking for it put some skin in the game?

one safe place said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Well the cost would be a lot less if they killed these vermin within a few DAYS of conviction. A few HOURS for an appeal, then put them down.

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FIFY…and, you're welcome.

GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Honestly they should do it the way Japan does it, death row inmates aren't told what their execution date is until the day it happens, when theyre taken to a room and hanged. A lot cheaper to reuse the same rope...

Martin Q. Blank said:

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Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

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I doubt that most could discern the difference in recoil.

And you are assuming semi-auto rifles. Could be bolt or lever action.

Even if they do eject the brass, the brass would have to look different, and the shooters would have to know which piece of five brass rattling around the floor was theirs.

And regarding the death penalty, I used to be very pro-death penalty.

But seeing how royally the government screws up everything they do, I've backed down. I also used to think that lawyers and prosecutors tried to do the right thing. Add in the exonerations of the last few years, I'm good with life without parole.

And, strangely enough, it is cheaper to do life than execute. Heck this guy has been in jail for nearly 40 years, and probably cost millions in legal fees. Cheaper to just do life without all the appeals.

Maybe keep it for killing of guards or other prison personnel if you're already on life without parole.

Is old, has dementia.

Killing him now would be murder. He is not a threat to society.

Jesus, come quickly.

AgGrad99 said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

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Tell me more....

I always assumed a shot (syringe or bullet), was a lot cheaper than paying for someone with a life sentence, for decades upon decades.

Is that not the case?

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Not with all the different appeal processes they can go through. Lawyers can get it delayed for years.

Get Off My Lawn said:

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I'm a bit surprised we haven't moved on to robot fired executions in order to distribute the components of the task. I'm not saying I'd prefer it - but being a link in a kill chain adds emotional distance for the participants.

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I'm not so sure....drone pilots are exhibiting a tremendous amount of trauma after they kill a bunch of people in the field...

TexasAggie73 said:

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AgGrad99 said:

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GeorgiAg said:

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I'm against the death penalty because of the taxpayer cost. Cheaper to just let them rot.

Also, crime happened in 1986? Too long - gotta speed it up.

---

Tell me more....

I always assumed a shot (syringe or bullet), was a lot cheaper than paying for someone with a life sentence, for decades upon decades.

Is that not the case?

---

Not with all the different appeal processes they can go through. Lawyers can get it delayed for years.

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Is that unique to the Death penalty? Can't they still go through lengthy appeals if someone is given a life sentence?

So after the courts are exhausted for both....isn't the death penalty much much cheaper for the State?

Most life sentences have no appeal process. It's the state that pays for the prisoners attorney. That is much more than keeping them locked up. The appeals process can last 20 plus years of attorney fees.

SpreadsheetAg said:

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You could potentially make the money back by auctioning off the 5 squad members and 2 alternate positions. Especially for heinous crimes.

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Excellent idea.

Dementia? didn't stop Ol Joe from destroying the US

Deputy Travis Junior said:

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I'm not going to lose sleep over this dude's death, but what the hell are we doing? What does it solve when we kill a 67 year old dementia patient who probably can't even remember the crime he committed just shy of 40 years ago? There's no deterrence or punishment here, it's just naked bloodlust.

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Your point???

Athanasius said:

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Is old, has dementia.

Killing him now would be murder. He is not a threat to society.

Jesus, come quickly.

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The point is to eliminate him from the species. No neurotic people wanting to marry or get sperm from him for their babies.

Champion of Fireball said:

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Martin Q. Blank said:

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Quote:

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Four of the five rifles will have bullets and one will have a blank. The group will not know who has the blank.

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Can't they look at the shell ejected? Also the recoil is much different.

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You making this too difficult. The guy with one of these attached is the easy tell.

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I think Utah has traditionally used .30-30 lever action rifles.

Deputy Travis Junior said:

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I'm not going to lose sleep over this dude's death, but what the hell are we doing? What does it solve when we kill a 67 year old dementia patient who probably can't even remember the crime he committed just shy of 40 years ago? There's no deterrence or punishment here, it's just naked bloodlust.

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The death penalty is not meant to be a deterrent, nor is it. Deterrence is the worst of all possible arguments in favor of capital punishment. The point of capital punishment is punishment.

SirDippinDots said:

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SpreadsheetAg said:

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You could potentially make the money back by auctioning off the 5 squad members and 2 alternate positions. Especially for heinous crimes.

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Excellent idea.

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Just like Hostel. So cool.

I mean I personally wouldn't be interested. But I am sure there are those who might want to take out a bit of societal frustration on a convicted scumbag for some kind of catharsis.

Athanasius said:

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Is old, has dementia.

Killing him now would be murder. He is not a threat to society.

Jesus, come quickly.

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Really he's old as a defense? [color=#000000]Maurine Hunsaker never got any older than 26.[/color]
[color=#000000]And he has dementia? I'm sure Maurine's children have not forgotten what he did to their mother. [/color]

The death penalty is not murder if he was found guilty.

Jesus will come quickly and judge his soul.

Athanasius said:

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Is old, has dementia.

Killing him now would be murder. He is not a threat to society.

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Tell that to Maurine Hunsacker.