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The state of Utah is making a controversial move this summer now that a State Court has decided to uphold a convicted murderer’s final request, to be put death by a firing squad.

49-year-old Ronnie Lee Gardner murdered a man 25 years ago and filed a series of appeals that kept him on death row.

His appeals were exhausted this morning however and when asked by a court judge how he’d like to die he answered,

“I would like the firing squad, please.”

Utah is the only state to use a firing squad as means of execution.

According to Utah state laws he had the option of choosing between lethal injection and a five man firing squad with rifles.

Utah previously executed two other men by firing squad, Gary Gilmore in 1977 and John Albert Taylor in 1996.

Oklahoma is the only other state that finds this type of punishment “acceptable” but by law will only do it if lethal injection is deemed “unconstitutional.”

The state of Oklahoma has yet to use that method.

It’s uncommon that Gardener was given a choice of how he wanted to die since state legislators ruled that option out in 2004.

However since Gardener was imprisoned before that, his right to choose was upheld.

Gardner will be executed June 18.