US death penalty reinstated: Inmates will now be shot

16:18 / 25.04.2026·504·World

In brief

The U.S. federal government has officially lifted the moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating the execution of inmates whose sentences have cleared all legal appeals. This policy shift includes the return of lethal injection protocols and the introduction of firing squads as an alternative execution method, reversing restrictions maintained during the Biden administration. The change was recently marked by the execution of 67-year-old Brad Keith Sigmon, who became the first person in 15 years to be put to death by firing squad in the United States. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision, framing the restoration of capital punishment as a necessary step to ensure the rule of law and provide justice for victims of heinous crimes.

A significant political development, sparking major debate over human rights and the judicial system, has taken place in the US. The ban on federal executions during the Joe Biden administration has officially expired. Zamin.uz introduces the details of the Ministry of Justice's controversial decision and the subsequent changes.

The Ministry of Justice's decisive ruling

On Friday, April 24, the US Department of Justice announced the lifting of the moratorium on federal executions. According to the department's statement, the government has reinstated its obligation to carry out legally binding death sentences. This decision means the inevitability of punishment for inmates who have exhausted all appeal stages.

Under the new regulations, the following changes are being introduced:

used during Donald Trump's first term the lethal injection protocol has been reinstated;
to the list of execution methods shooting (firing squad) additional options have been added;
The process of reviewing death penalty cases has been accelerated to the maximum extent.

Criticism and new policy

Acting US Attorney General Todd Blansh sharply criticized the Biden administration, calling the abandonment of the ultimate penalty a "failure to fulfill the duty to protect the people." He emphasized that under President Trump's leadership, the Department of Justice is returning to strictly enforcing the law and supporting crime victims.

We remind you that in January 2025, Donald Trump signed an executive order to reinstate the death penalty at the federal level and instructed the states to provide the necessary medical preparations.

First time in 15 years: Execution by shooting carried out

As a practical manifestation of these changes, on March 7, 2025, an inmate was shot to death in the US for the first time in 15 years. 67-year-old Brad Kit Sigmon was held accountable for his brutal murder in 2001 (he killed his ex-girlfriend's parents with a baseball bat).

Interestingly, Sigmon himself preferred to be shot rather than by electric chair or injection. According to witnesses, the sentence was carried out in a special room: the executioners fired through slits in the wall, making them invisible to the inmate and witnesses.

Dear readers, do you think the reinstatement of the death penalty will contribute to a reduction in crime in the US? What is your opinion on the use of methods like shooting?

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