SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — The state of Utah is preparing to file an application for a death warrant for Ralph Menzies, who was convicted in the 1986 murder of Maurine Hunsaker. However, Menzies and four other inmates who were sentenced to death prior to 2004 in Utah are proposing new ways to be executed.
Both the state and defense attorneys have recently filed notices of appearances in Menzies criminal case, as he ran out of appeals last year. Meanwhile, the inmates are requesting to file an amended complaint in their lawsuit against the state regarding executions.
In the proposed amended complaint, the inmates argue that the current lethal injection and firing squad methods used by the state for execution violate the Utah Constitution and their rights. They are seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the state from executing them, and have proposed two alternative methods of execution.
The death row prisoners argue that firing squad causes unnecessary pain, citing examples of past prisoners who suffered before dying. They also claim that the current method of lethal injection could result in pain if the drugs are not administered accurately.
They propose a single dose of sodium thiopental or pentobarbital for lethal injection, as these drugs have been used in numerous executions and approved by the U.S. Supreme Court.
As for the firing squad, the inmates are requesting a direct shot to the head, which they argue would cause immediate unconsciousness and reduce suffering. They assert that this method would require little alteration from the current method used by the Utah Department of Corrections.
The inmates’ filed complaint is now awaiting review by a judge, who will determine if it should be heard or not.