A five man firing squad in the state of Utah, United States have executed a convicted murderer.

Ronnie Lee Gardner was convicted of murder in 1985 and spent 25 years in death row was executed just after midnight, local time by a five man firing squad.

The 49-year-old was pronounced dead at 12:20 after being shot in the chest in which only three such executions since 1976 has been recorded.

The method of execution via a firing squad was banned in the state of Utah in 2004 after outcry by human rights groups calling it barbaric. Lethal injection is now the standard execution method.

However, people on death row who were sentenced before 2004 still have the right to choose the method of their execution.

Gardner had been put on death row in 1985 when he shot a lawyer while attempting to escape from a court where he was being tried for the murder of a bartender committed in 1984.

He has become the first person after 14-years to have been executed via a firing squad as many death row inmates do not like the method.

The execution which took place at a prison in Draper, Salt Lake City was commenced by a five man firing squad.

However only four of the rifles were actually loaded with live bullets and one was blank. The riffles were then given to the members of the firing squad anonymously so that none would know for certain if they fired the lethal shot.

Gardner was then placed on a chair and strapped firmly on to it with a black hood and a white target on his chest reported the BBC.

The tactic by the US authorities is presumed to be for the psychological well being of the individuals who make up the firing squad.

Gardner’s final appeal had been rejected by the US Supreme Court just hours before he was executed.

One official had said that Gardner had the chance to get his case looked at in several tribunals and all were rejected.

Gardner had fasted for two days before his execution in which his lawyers had said that it was for spiritual reasons.

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