A convicted killer yesterday became only the third to be executed by firing squad in the US in 34 years – after spending his final days watching Lord of the Rings.
Ronnie Lee Gardner was strapped to a chair with a hood over his head before five marksmen took aim at a white target pinned to the prisoner’s chest.
His execution in Utah – the last state to ban firing squads – went ahead after he chose shooting instead of lethal injection because he was sentenced before the law change in 2004.
Gardner, 49, who had been on death row for 25 years, had eaten his last requested meal of steak, lobster tail, apple pie, vanilla ice cream and 7UP lemonade before starting a 48-hour fast and watching the epic fantasy film trilogy.
By the way, he chose this form of execution over lethal injections, probably because it is instant. I really am not sure how I feel about this, but he had 25 years to appeal and they all failed. Hope this brings some closure to the family.
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