A murderer who killed his ex’s parents with a baseball bat opts for firing squad over lethal injection in the US.
Sigmon murdered his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001, using a baseball bat. He chose the firing squad for his execution, avoiding lethal injection and the electric chair.
Concerns exist about lethal injection drugs. Three men remained alive for over 20 minutes in South Carolina since September.
Only three others have been executed by firing squad since 1976, all in Utah. The last one happened back in 2010.
His lawyer spoke about these issues. Sigmon feared the electric chair, worried it would “burn and cook him alive.” Lethal injection also seemed “monstrous.”
Sigmon murdered David and Gladys Larke, who were 62 and 59 years old, respectively. He killed them on April 27, 2001, after a breakup.
He got two death sentences and also received 30 years for burglary. He stole from the couple on the murder date.
He lost all appeals against his death sentence. He is waiting at Broad River Institution, having murdered his ex’s parents at their house.
Firing squads use several soldiers, all of whom shoot at the same time, aiming for the person’s heart. The goal is a quick death for the prisoner, who is blindfolded.
This method hides who fired the shot, reducing stress for the shooters. Headshots are avoided to prevent disfigurement.