The Wyoming House of Representatives has given strong support to a bill that would allow the state to use a firing squad in a prisoner execution. Wyoming cannot currently obtain the drugs used to execute someone by lethal injection and a firing squad would be the backup method of execution.

Cheyenne Republican Bob Nicholas strongly opposes the approach and successfully amended the bill to say that if the state uses a firing squad, the condemned person will not be awake.

“It’s inhumane on its face and I’m going well at least we ought to let that person not be conscious at the time when it happens. So this amendment just says if you use the proper anesthetics then he’ll be out and be sound asleep before you pull the triggers.”

Wyoming does not currently have anyone on death row. The bill will be debated two more times.