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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 28 November 2020
New rule could allow gas, firing squads for U.S. executions

By MICHAEL BALSAMO mates with the gas in some
WASHINGTON (AP) — The cases.
Justice Department is qui- In some states, inmates can
etly amending its execution choose the method of their
protocols, no longer requir- execution. In Florida, for
ing federal death sentenc- example, an inmate can
es to be carried out by le- specifically ask to be put
thal injection and clearing to death by electrocution
the way to use other meth- and in Washington state, in-
ods like firing squads and mates can ask to be put to
poison gas. death by hanging. In Utah,
The amended rule, pub- prisoners sentenced before
lished Friday in the Federal May 2004 can choose to
Register, allows the U.S. be killed by a firing squad.
government to conduct The state law there also
executions by lethal injec- authorizes the use of a fir-
tion or use "any other man- ing squad if lethal injection
ner prescribed by the law drugs aren't available.
of the state in which the In 2014, following a
sentence was imposed." botched state execution
A number of states allow in Oklahoma, President
other methods of execu- Barack Obama directed
tion, including electrocu- the Justice Department to
tion, inhaling nitrogen gas This Aug. 28, 2020, file photo shows the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Ind. conduct a broad review
or death by firing squad. Associated Press of capital punishment and
It remains unclear whether issues surrounding lethal in-
the Justice Department will and some of those states fore Trump leaves office. A publicans for its use. jection drugs.
seek to use any methods use methods other than le- spokesperson for Biden told All states that use the Barr said in July 2019 that
other than lethal injection thal injection. the AP earlier this month death penalty allow lethal the review had been com-
for executions in the future. The official said two ex- that the president-elect injection – and that is the pleted, allowing executions
The rule – which goes into ecutions scheduled in De- "opposes the death pen- primary method in all states to resume and approved a
effect on Dec. 24 – comes cember would be done by alty now and in the future" where other methods are new procedure for lethal
as the Justice Department lethal injection but didn't and would work to end allowed, according to injections that replaced the
has scheduled five execu- provide information about its use. But he did not say data compiled by the non- three-drug combination
tions during the lame-duck three others scheduled in whether executions would profit Death Penalty Infor- previously used in federal
period, including three just January. The official spoke be paused immediately mation Center. As lethal executions with one drug,
days before President-elect to The Associated Press on once Biden takes office. injection drugs become dif- pentobarbital. The one-
Joe Biden takes office. condition of anonymity in Attorney General William ficult to obtain, some states drug protocol is similar to
A Justice Department of- order to discuss the internal Barr restarted federal ex- have begun looking at al- the procedure used in sev-
ficial said the change was department protocols. ecutions this year after a ternative methods for car- eral states, including Geor-
made to account for the The change is likely to set 17-year hiatus. This year, rying out death sentences. gia, Missouri and Texas.
fact the Federal Death Pen- off intense criticism from the Justice Department has Alabama joined Oklahoma Before the Trump adminis-
alty Act requires sentences Democrats and anti-death put to death more people and Mississippi in 2018 ap- tration resumed executions
be carried out in the "in the penalty advocates, as the than during the previous proving the use of nitrogen this year, the federal gov-
manner prescribed by the Trump administration tries half-century, despite wan- gas to execute prisoners, ernment had put only three
law of the state in which to push through a num- ing public support from allowing the state to as- inmates to death since
the sentence is imposed,'' ber of rule changes be- both Democrats and Re- phyxiate condemned in- 1988. q

U.S. agency investigating Tesla front suspension failures

sions can fail on nearly including four at highway call.
115,000 Tesla electric ve- speeds. It says the number A message was left early
hicles. of complaints is increasing Friday seeking comment
The National Highway Traf- as the vehicles age, with 32 from Tesla.
fic Safety Administration in the last two years. Three NHTSA says that in 2017, Tes-
says it has 43 complaints of the highway complaints la issued a service bulletin
that linkages near the ball came in the last three describing the failure and
joints can fail, allowing con- months. saying that drivers could
tact between the tire and In addition, NHTSA says it still control the vehicles "but
wheel liner. has eight complaints that the tire may contact the
The probe, announced Fri- may involve suspension wheel arch liner." The bul-
day on the agency's web- failures that haven't been letin says vehicles with the
site, covers 2015 through confirmed by photos or ser- problems were built from
2017 Model S sedans and vice records. Jan. 19, 2016 to May 25,
2016 through 2017 Model X The agency said it has no 2016.
In this Feb. 9, 2019, file photo, a sign bearing the company logo SUVs. reports of crashes or injuries. But NHTSA said the com-
stands outside a Tesla store in Cherry Creek Mall in Denver. The agency says 32 owners The agency says it will in- plaints include 41 vehicles
Associated Press complained of failures at vestigate how often the built before or after the
low speeds, but 11 said the problem happens and the range cited in the bulletin.
DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. agency is investigating links failed on roads while safety consequences. The Twenty-nine were built after
government's road safety complaints that suspen- traveling above 10 mph probe could lead to a re- the range ended.q