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I am currently researching capital punishment in Utah prior to 1930. It is my understanding that execution by firing squad was done out of the general view of the public. Does anyone disagree with this assessment? And what exceptions to this general rule were there? And how did those public execution ceremonies in Utah (if any) compare to, say... those typical of France, and the morbid mania that followed?

Utah leadership is really stupid. They could auction off firing squad places and make money for State and do away with taxes completely.

Hold public executions and have them in Cougar/lavell Stadium, charge high prices and the stadium would still fill to capacity and GA's would be there affirming the holy nature of public execution while counting the dollars flowing in from the spectacle and the next conference talks would be about the positive effect of these execution on would be criminals and gospel love of the sinner paying for their crimes.

Nothing makes money like death. Mormons believe in killing those who kill so it is a perfect marriage.

Mike Reed wrote:I am currently researching capital punishment in Utah prior to 1930. It is my understanding that execution by firing squad was done out of the general view of the public. Does anyone disagree with this assessment? And what exceptions to this general rule were there? And how did those public execution ceremonies in Utah (if any) compare to, say... those typical of France, and the morbid mania that followed?

A great book on the history of capital punishment in Utah is The Unforgiven: Utah's Executed Men by L. Kay Gillespie.

Rollo Tomasi wrote:

Mike Reed wrote:I am currently researching capital punishment in Utah prior to 1930. It is my understanding that execution by firing squad was done out of the general view of the public. Does anyone disagree with this assessment? And what exceptions to this general rule were there? And how did those public execution ceremonies in Utah (if any) compare to, say... those typical of France, and the morbid mania that followed?

A great book on the history of capital punishment in Utah is The Unforgiven: Utah's Executed Men by L. Kay Gillespie.

Thanks for the suggestion, Rollo. Fortunately this volume is included in the New Mormon Studies CD.

I found this article on Utah executions.

Here is the statute banning public executions (p. 727).

Also this Deseret News article from 1887.

Tom wrote:I found this article on Utah executions.

Here is the statute banning public executions (p. 727).

Also this Deseret News article from 1887.

You rock Tom. Thanks for the information. Very very helpful.