Death by firing squad may seem outdated. Should it be used?

The death penalty is back in the national conversation as several states are reverting to older and less commonly used methods, such as firing squad. But in Georgia, execution alternatives are under debate. Death row inmate Michael Wade Nance has challenged federal courts to allow death by firing squad instead of lethal injection. AJC's Najja Parker breaks down why. Editor’s note: This video has been updated to correct the graphic on lethal execution data. Credits: AJC | Getty Images | AP | NPR | The Intercept | WYFF News 4 | CNN | Death Penalty Information Center

1:10

AJC | April 10, 2025

Alerts

Death by firing squad may seem outdated. Should it be used?

Here’s how people on death row meet their ends in each state

Footage shows moment MARTA train rams into fallen tree and derails

How the largest nuclear plant in the country powers Georgia

What decades of 'forever chemicals' left behind in one Georgia community

Atlanta’s hip-hop historian Nuface preserves decades of rap culture

Atlanta’s hip-hop historian Nuface preserves decades of rap culture

How Delta’s first Black flight attendants navigated racism at 30,000 feet

We searched for Atlanta’s best bagel. Here’s the winner.

Trump pushes debunked Fulton County ballot claims in Georgia visit