Sir, – As someone writing to a prisoner on Florida's death row, and involving a judge overruling the jury in imposing the death penalty, I certainly agree with your assessment (March 27th) that Utah governor Gary Herbert's description of the use of a firing squad to carry out the sentence is more than "a little bit gruesome".
On the other hand, because of its barbarity, it may lead to a rethink by some of the supporters of executions.
My friend, who has spent almost 40 years on death row, has recently had a documentary made indicating his innocence, which he has consistently claimed through all these years. Many have actually been executed and afterwards exonerated. This is a political football used by some governors to ensure their re-election and it does not seem to bother them that innocent people are put to death.
I am against this barbaric practice in all circumstances and cannot see how it can ever be acceptable to take perfectly healthy human beings out and put them to death. What message does that convey about taking life?
America is not slow to condemn other countries for human rights’ abuses. It is somewhat hypocritical of it to do so while clinging to this despicable practice. – Yours, etc, MARY STEWART Ardeskin, Donegal.