CNN recently reported that Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49, was executed by firing squad for the shooting death of attorney Michael Burdell during a failed escape attempt from custody in 1985 at a Salt Lake City, Utah courthouse. A hood was placed over Gardner’s head and a paper target pinned to his chest. He was heavily restrained as a five-person firing squad took aim at the target and shot him. Gardner is only the third person to die by firing squad in the United States in 33 years.

The last time that California used firing squad for death row inmates was just before the state joined the union. Currently, under the California Penal Code Section 3604, the death penalty is carried out by the administration of a lethal gas or by an intravenous injection of a substance in a lethal quantity sufficient to cause death. If a person sentenced to death does not choose either lethal gas or injection within ten days after the warden’s service of an execution warrant, the default method is lethal injection.

Being charged with a felony that carries the possibility of death as a sentence is a grave offense. Choosing the right defense attorney could save your life. If you or a loved one has been charged with a serious felony you must seek the assistance of an experienced defense attorney immediately. Our attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience taking on cases just like yours. We will look at the particular facts of your case to determine the best defense strategy available to you that will result in the best possible outcome. Call us today at 888-749-0034 or visit us online at www.wklaw.com. We will be here when you call.