The federal government began carrying out federal executions in July after the practice had been put on hold for years– and now the state of the death penalty in the U.S. has come down to firing squads, the electric chair, and a dangerous three drug cocktail.
Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center Robert Dunham spoke to the Daily Caller’s Brianna Lyman about the recent string of federal executions, including one deep rooted issue within the system: racism. (RELATED: Texas Supreme Court Rules Man Who Wrongly Spent Almost 10 Years On Death Row Needs To Be Compensated)
“It’s without question that race and the death penalty have an intertwined history, you can’t separate the two,” Dunham said, noting that there is a “white victim preference” when seeking the death penalty.
WATCH:
When it comes to actually carrying out the death sentence, defendants are typically given a three-drug cocktail that Dunham says is equivalent to being “chemically burned at the stake.” However, some states have had trouble securing the drugs.
Defendants can now be put to death by a firing squad or the electric chair if states have delays in receiving the drugs needed for a lethal execution, according to CNN.
Check out more videos from the Daily Caller:
‘There’s Really No Positive End In Sight’: Business Owner Hasn’t Been Able To Open Doors Since March