On this day in history 1977: Gary Gilmore was the first person executed by firing squad in Utah when the ban on the capital punishment was lifted. Gary Gilmore began a career of crime in his early teens. At the age of 14 he was sent to reform school on charges of auto theft. When he was 21 he was imprisoned for assault and robbery. After he was released from prison he murdered one person and most probably a 2nd person but there was a lack of hard evidence. Gilmore was given a sentence of execution; he chose to die by firing squad. Gary Gilmore's final words before being put to death on January 17, 1977, by a volunteer firing squad were -- "Let's do it!" An interesting book I read about this (years ago) was The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer (ca 1979). A movie has also been made based on this book. Go to the online Crime Library to read more about this case and Gilmore.
Happy Anniversary to Ray and me. We're 21 and legal LOL!!!
(Originally posted on my Yahoo 360 blog)
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