Death By Electric Chair Making a Comeback in Louisiana?

The electric chair may return to Louisiana.

It has been over two decades since the state ceased giving death role inmates a ride to the other side strapped to a bolt of electricity, and instead began implementing a quieter outlet for administering the death rattle – lethal injection.

However, with drug shortages threatening to stall executions, many states, including Louisiana, are scouring for alternatives for sending convicted murders and other brutal forces of society to their graves. In fact, Missouri and Wyoming are debating on brining back firing squads, while others are reconsidering the electric chair.

For the 81 men and two women currently awaiting execution in Louisiana, the law will likely mandate they be put down by lethal injection. However, revisions to the laws are expected to be made this year, which could permit the state to fall back on old school methods including death by noose, gas chamber, electric chair and firing squad.

“I’m going to bring back the electric chair,” said state representative Joseph Lopinto.

As frightening as this all sounds, Richard C. Dieter, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, say he does not think states will be allowed to return to archaic execution methods. “Even if they were approved by a legislature, it is not clear that they would be upheld under the ‘cruel and unusual’ clause of the Constitution. The public might also object to the death penalty completely if such methods were adopted,” he said.

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