Ronnie Lee Gardner Executed by Firing Squad
Death row convict Ronnie Lee Gardner has been put to death by a firing squad in Utah...
Ronnie Lee Gardner, 49, was on death row from the past 25 years. He was convicted for the 1985 shooting of attorney Michael Burdell in a failed attempt to escape from custody at a courthouse in Salt Lake City, Utah. At that time, he was being tried for the murder of bartender Melvyn John Otterstrom during a 1984 robbery at the Cheers Tavern. While trying to escape, he shot at Michael Burdell, a lawyer, who was hiding behind a door, after an accomplice managed to smuggle a gun into the courthouse to him. Gardner also shot and wounded a bailiff Nick Kirk, whose family always maintained that he died 11 years later as a result of his injuries and chronic illness.
A series of last minute appeals by Gardner's lawyer were rejected. Gary Herbert, governor of Utah rejected 2 appeals, stating that Gardner had every chance to present his case. In his letter to the attorneys, Herbert said, "Upon careful review, there is nothing in the materials provided this morning that has not already been considered and decided by the Board of Pardons and Parole or numerous courts. Mr. Gardner has had a full and fair opportunity to have his case considered by numerous tribunals." Then an appeal rejected by the US Supreme court ended all speculation regarding the execution.
Just a little later than midnight, 5 anonymous executioners (marksmen) carried out the execution from behind curtains and a ported brick wall. One of the marksmen had a blank bullet, leaving a doubt in the minds of all 5 of them. Gardner was strapped to a chair with a hood on his head, and a white target placed on his heart. Since the resumption of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, he is the 3rd person in Utah and also the US to be executed by a firing squad. The firing squad method of execution was banned in Utah in 2004, and now the lethal injection method is used by default. But since Gardner was on death row before that, he got to choose between a firing squad and lethal injection as his execution method. Gardner was declared dead at 12:20 am.
A series of last minute appeals by Gardner's lawyer were rejected. Gary Herbert, governor of Utah rejected 2 appeals, stating that Gardner had every chance to present his case. In his letter to the attorneys, Herbert said, "Upon careful review, there is nothing in the materials provided this morning that has not already been considered and decided by the Board of Pardons and Parole or numerous courts. Mr. Gardner has had a full and fair opportunity to have his case considered by numerous tribunals." Then an appeal rejected by the US Supreme court ended all speculation regarding the execution.
Just a little later than midnight, 5 anonymous executioners (marksmen) carried out the execution from behind curtains and a ported brick wall. One of the marksmen had a blank bullet, leaving a doubt in the minds of all 5 of them. Gardner was strapped to a chair with a hood on his head, and a white target placed on his heart. Since the resumption of the death penalty in the United States in 1976, he is the 3rd person in Utah and also the US to be executed by a firing squad. The firing squad method of execution was banned in Utah in 2004, and now the lethal injection method is used by default. But since Gardner was on death row before that, he got to choose between a firing squad and lethal injection as his execution method. Gardner was declared dead at 12:20 am.
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