The US state of South Carolina has introduced legislation which will force inmates to choose between a firing squad and the electric chair as a means of execution if the drugs required for lethal injection are not available.
The state's governor, Henry McMaster, signed the bill into law following a 10-year pause on executions due to a lack of drugs used for lethal injections.
Prosecutors said three inmates on death row who had exhausted all avenues for appeal could not be executed since all those who do not choose the electric chair are scheduled to die via lethal injection, which is not currently possible due to the lack of drugs, ABC news reports.
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Now if lethal injections aren't available, inmates will be asked to choose between the electric chair and a firing squad. If they decline to choose, they will be executed by electrocution, The State reports.
Mr McMaster signed the bill on Friday (14 May) and took to Twitter today (17 March) to tell people: "The families and loved ones of victims are owed closure and justice by law. Now, we can provide it."
The post was hit with backlash from people questioning McMaster for being the most 'pro-life' governor.
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Earlier this year, McMaster signed legislation banning most abortions in South Carolina. The law was temporarily suspended by a federal judge just one day after taking effect.
Reacting to the new legislation on executions, one Twitter user wrote: "They are not owed a firing squad nor that another person be murdered. Jesus spoke against an eye for an eye and he was for forgiveness.
"Murdering another person violently is not the path to peace nor the sign of an environment, atmosphere that is healthy if you are playing God."
Another added: "How is ending another human life providing closure to anyone? It doesn't bring anyone back or undo anything that was done.
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"Our justice system is not perfect, and the chance of even one an innocent person being put to death is too much of a chance."
And a third asked: "Who are you going to ask to fire at people standing up against a wall? You? Since you ordered it, you should be the 1 to do it."
South Carolina has never used a firing squad as a method of execution in the past.
South Carolina Department of Corrections spokesperson Chrysti Shain told The State: "We would look for guidance from other states and the courts as to what has been deemed constitutional."
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The other three states that allow a firing squad are Mississippi, Oklahoma and Utah.
New protocols on how to carry out executions via this method are currently being written and Shain added that it is unknown when the state will be in a position to execute inmates by a firing squad.
Featured Image Credit: PA