Full Breakdown
Reverend Jeff Hood Warns America to “Stand Down” on Firing-Squad Executions
By Drooid · · How we work
Reverend Jeff Hood’s “Firing Back” Campaign
Reverend Jeff Hood, a longtime anti-death-penalty activist who has served as a spiritual adviser to more than a dozen executed inmates, has launched a national “Firing Back” tour. The campaign visits the seven states that currently use—or could use—firing squads, urging the public and policymakers to reject the method as a “lie of the clean kill.”
Recent Execution Controversies Prompting the Campaign
The tour follows a series of high-profile execution problems. In December 3, the military prepared to carry out its first firing-squad execution since World War II, targeting Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan. President Donald Trump initially approved the execution and later cancelled a planned live-stream after backlash from victims’ families, retired military leaders, and lawmakers. Earlier, Tennessee’s botched lethal-injection of Christa Pike—where two doses of pentobarbital failed—highlighted the unreliability of “humane” methods. Similar difficulties have forced states to seek alternatives, including nitrogen hypoxia, which Alabama attempted before the Supreme Court blocked its use.
Official Statements & Responses
The Pentagon announced the intended live-stream of Hasan’s execution, but President Trump rescinded the plan. A White House spokesperson directed inquiries to Trump’s Truth Social post, which framed the execution as a deterrent while acknowledging that many “good and well-meaning people” would prefer not to watch. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office reiterated the governor’s long-standing moratorium on executions, with spokeswoman Diana Crofts-Pelayo stating that Newsom believes intentional killing is wrong. Hood’s upcoming press conference will press Newsom to commute all California death-row sentences before he leaves office in January.
Data on Firing-Squad Use
Idaho became the first state to adopt the firing squad as its primary execution method. Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah also authorize the method under certain conditions, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. South Carolina executed three inmates by firing squad last year, and attorneys for Mikal Mahdi claimed only two of three bullets struck him, alleging prolonged suffering. NBC News reported that a state-commissioned autopsy found all three bullets hit Mahdi’s heart, underscoring disputes over the method’s reliability.
Impact and Next Steps
Hood argues that even the option to choose a firing squad presents “a menu of horrors” with no genuine choice. He urges California’s governor to clear the state’s death row, a move he says would prevent firing squads from ever being used in the Golden State. The campaign’s broader goal is to shift national discourse ahead of the November midterm elections, positioning the debate over execution methods as a central moral and policy issue for voters.