US Department OfJustice Expands Death Penalty Methods, Includes Firing Squad Option

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 23:02 IST

The US DOJ orders the Federal Bureau of Prisons to expand execution methods, reinstating Trump era lethal injection and allowing firing squads to speed federal executions.

The US Department of Justice has directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons to broaden its execution protocols, allowing additional methods including pentobarbital injections and firing squads as part of efforts to strengthen the federal death penalty framework.

According to an internal memo, the move is aimed at enabling authorities to carry out capital punishment once inmates sentenced to death have exhausted all legal appeals.

“Today, the Department of Justice acted to restore its solemn duty to seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences," the memo said, adding that the changes are intended to clear the way for resuming executions.

The updated guidelines include reinstating the lethal injection protocol used during the first administration of Donald Trump, while also expanding permissible methods of execution to include firing squads. Officials said the changes are part of a broader push to streamline internal procedures and expedite death penalty cases.

The development signals a shift toward a more assertive approach on capital punishment at the federal level, an issue that has long been the subject of legal and ethical debate in the United States.

Critics of the death penalty have raised concerns over the expansion of execution methods, while supporters argue it ensures that lawful sentences are carried out without undue delay.

News world US Department OfJustice Expands Death Penalty Methods, Includes Firing Squad Option

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