'Barbaric' execution

Madam, – It still mystifies me how the act of imprisoning someone for 25 years and then dragging them out to be killed can be…

Madam, – It still mystifies me how the act of imprisoning someone for 25 years and then dragging them out to be killed can be considered anything but barbaric (“Utah man killed by firing squad”, World News, June 18th). When it happens in a country (the United States) that sees itself as a modern and civilised democracy, it makes even less sense.

Behaving in the same manner as the murderer lessens the moral authority of a state. – Yours, etc,

JOHN KELLY,

Notting Hill Gate,

London,

England.