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Show H t 1 I Modes Of Execution H For Capital Crimes B Attorney General's View In Case H Electrocution Should Supplant H Present Optional Plan If tbo rccommcndntlon of tlio stato H board of corrections, substituting H electrocution for shooting and hang- HB ing for capital crimes Is carried out H by tho legislature, It will probably H affect n dozen cases in tho state of B Utah, There aro threo men under H death sentenco now in tbo state prl- H son. Thcro aro two cases before tho H supremo court, and a half dozen M awaiting trial In tho courts for mur- m , der In tho first degree. What effect H tho repeal of the present law and H tho passing of nn electrocution bill H would havo In theso cases has cans- cd consldcrablo discussion among the members of the legislature, in re- M gard to tho matter, Attornoy (lencr- H nl Albert R. Barnes said: H "If a law providing for the execu- H tlon of murderers by electrocution Is M passed I will do everything In my B power to bcc that tho measure Is H properly safeguarded so that no con- H filets may thereafter arise. Of courso It Is my opinion at this tlmo that H murders, now under death sentenco m will, if finally executed, havo to bo M executed in tho manner selected by fl them at tho tlmo of sentenco. Thcro H aro threo men In tho stnto prison H who havo chosen Bhootlng nnd been H sentenced. Tho method of tho oxo- H cutlon Is. I bellovo a part of tbo judg H ment of tho court before whom theso men wcro tried, convicted and scntcn H cert, and I do not bellovo that any H enactment of the legislature could . chango the modo of execution In their cases, unless perhaps, they could bo H permitted to walvo their rights nnd select tho new method. Might Raise Question "In the caso of men charged with H capital offenses at the present tlmo who have not been tried, or will not H havo been tried at the time of the passago of tho act, In the event that It does pass there also is another Important question. These men, If H convicted, might raise the (tuestlon as tho change In the method of nd- M ministering tho death penalty H and the question might become n vox- cd one. Tho legislature, of course, M could provide that In the trial of cases which had not been tried at tho tlmo of tho passage of the law the ! - defendants, If convicted could choose their method of death, as hanging, shooting or electrocution. "I will sny, however, that If a law Is passed providing for electrocution Instead of hanging or shooting, I will do everything In my power to so safeguard the measuro that there can bo no conflict. Wlillo I havo not given giv-en tbo matter any special attention. I bellovo at this thlm0 that It would probably bo bettor to make tho law so read that It would apply only to cases arising after tho passago of the law or to allow persons now tinder chnrges of murder In tho first degree de-gree to elect ns to their modo of execution ex-ecution In the event of conviction for a capital offense. |