Mississippi

Curious Mississippi: Is execution by firing squad legal in MS? Has it ever been used here?

Published

9 months ago

March 20, 2025

Curious Mississippi: Is execution by firing squad legal in MS? Has it ever been used here?

Editor’s note: This is the latest edition of Curious Mississippi, a service to the readers of the Clarion Ledger. Other questions answered by Curious Mississippi have surrounded recycling, potholes, UMMC construction, cicadas and the international nature of the Jackson airport. Readers can submit questions by email to CuriousMississippi@ClarionLedger.com and editors will pick out the best and reporters will answer them in an upcoming edition.

Mississippi is one of five states that still permit executions by firing squad, alongside Utah, Oklahoma, Idaho and South Carolina.

However, a firing squad execution has never been conducted in Mississippi’s long history with the death penalty. The only methods that have been used to execute prisoners are hangings, the electric chair, gas chamber and lethal injection, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections website. MDOC is responsible for carrying out executions.

Currently, there are 35 inmates on death row in Mississippi, according to an MDOC spokesperson. The Clarion Ledger attempted to find out MDOC’s policy on executions by firing squad, but was told “due to pending litigation surrounding death row inmates, our office does not comment on execution methods/processes.”

In early March, South Carolina became the first state since 2010 to execute a death row inmate by firing squad, reigniting ethical debates over capital punishment.

On March 7, Brad Sigmon, 67, was executed by three sharpshooters from the South Carolina Department of Corrections, who volunteered for the task, according to the Greenville News. Sigmon was convicted of the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, David and Gladys Larke, whom he beat to death with a baseball bat. He then kidnapped his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Armstrong, but she managed to escape.

During the execution, Sigmon was hooded and strapped to a metal chair with his shoulder facing the shooters. The chair was mounted on a platform in the corner of the execution chamber. At 6:05, the prison warden gave the order and the three-member firing squad shot with rifles simultaneously through a hole in the chamber wall. A doctor declared Simon dead three minutes later.

Sigmon’s execution marked the first time in South Carolina’s history that a death row inmate was killed by firing squad. The last U.S. execution by firing squad occurred in Utah in 2010.

The death penalty methods in Mississippi

While Mississippi has never executed an inmate by firing squad, the method remains legal in the state. It was as recently as 2017 when the Mississippi Legislature proposed a bill that included firing squad as one of four execution options. The bill was signed into law by then-Gov. Phil Bryant that summer.

The 2017 bill outlined a preferred order of execution methods for MDOC. The first option is lethal injection, which is the primary method for a majority of the 27 states where the death penalty is legal. If lethal injection wasn’t possible, either due to a successful court challenge or lack of availability, MDOC should pursue execution via nitrogen hypoxia. If that wasn’t an option, it moved to the electric chair. Firing squad would be the last resort.

But in 2022, a new bill was filed removing the preferred order and giving MDOC more discretion in choosing execution methods. It lists all available execution methods — lethal injection, nitrogen hypoxia, electrocution and firing squad — together and adds the statement, “It is the policy of the State of Mississippi that intravenous injection of a substance or substances in a lethal quantity into the body shall be the preferred method of execution,” according to previous Clarion Ledger reporting. The bill was signed into law by Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.

History of the death penalty in Mississippi

The last lethal injection execution in Mississippi was in December 2022, when Thomas “Eddie” Loden, a white male, was put to death for the 2000 kidnapping, rape and murder of 16-year-old Leesa Marie Gray in Itawamba County. Loden repeatedly and unsuccessfully challenged the conviction in state and federal courts over the 20-plus years he was imprisoned on death row.

According to July 2021 court papers, Loden’s lethal injection consisted of a mixture of the sedative midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride. Vecuronium bromide paralyzes the muscles, potassium chloride stops the heart.

Loden is one of 19 prisoners to be executed by lethal injection in the state, which was first introduced as Mississippi’s preferred method in the 1980s, according to the MDOC website. In total, 16 white men and three Black men have been executed by lethal injection in the state.

Tracy Alan Hansen, a white male, was the first death row inmate to be executed by lethal injection in July 2002. Hansen was convicted, along with his girlfriend, of the 1987 shooting murder of a Mississippi state trooper. His girlfriend, Anita Krecic, still sits in prison after being sentenced to life in prison in 1988.

Before lethal injection, MDOC used the gas chamber for executions starting in 1954 when the chamber was installed in the Mississippi State Penitentiary. A total of 35 male inmates — 27 Black and eight white — were killed using the chamber over the course of 34 years.

The first to be executed in the gas chamber was Gerald A. Gallego in 1955, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit based in Washington D.C. Gallego was an escaped white convict from California who was convicted of the 1954 murder of a police officer outside Ocean Springs. The last to be executed in the gas chamber was Leo Edwards, a Black man who was convicted of the murder of a Jackson convenience store clerk in 1980. Edwards was executed in the gas chamber in 1989.

And prior to the gas chamber, “the old oak electric chair” was moved from county to county between 1940 and Feb. 5, 1952. A total of 75 prisoners were executed in this fashion with the first being Hilton Fortenberry. He was convicted of capital murder in Jefferson Davis County. The electric chair is now on display at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy in Pearl.

Hanging was the primary form of execution in Mississippi until the introduction of the electric chair in 1940.

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Mississippi

Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 12, 2025

Published

14 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 12, 2025

The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 12, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

12-14-17-25-27

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Midday: 0-1-2, FB: 3

Evening: 4-2-3, FB: 6

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Midday: 2-7-9-1, FB: 3

Evening: 7-3-4-5, FB: 6

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 12 drawing

Midday: 12

Evening: 04

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Story continues below gallery.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.

Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:

Mississippi Lottery Corporation

P.O. Box 321462

Flowood, MS

39232

If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.

Mississippi Lottery Headquarters

1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100

Flowood, MS

39232

Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.

When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?

Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Mississippi

7 top recruits to watch in Saturday’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

7 top recruits to watch in Saturday’s Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic

Many of the future stars of college football will be competing in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic on Saturday afternoon on the campus of the University of Southern Miss in Hattiesburg.

Alabama Crimson Tide signees are expected to be among the headliners, with six total players (four for Alabama, two for Mississippi) competing in the game. Auburn’s representation was greatly reduced by injuries. The Tigers are left with one player representing Alabama after Saraland receiver DeShawn Spencer, Wadley linebacker Jaquez Wilkes and Petal defensive lineman Corey Wells were late scratches from the game.

Best in Bama Top 50

Players from the game are headed to four of the 12 teams in the College Football Playoffs, including Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama.

The game will kick off at noon on Saturday and will be broadcast across the state on Alabama Public Television.

Here are seven players to be on the lookout for during the matchup.

ALABAMA

CD Morgan, wide receiver, Benjamin Russell (jersey No. 1)

There likely will not be a player on the field who looks more SEC-ready than the 6-foot-4, 220-pound wide receiver. Are the comparisons to former Foley, Alabama and NFL star Julio Jones fair? This will be the biggest stage so far for Morgan to begin justifying the lofty and unfair comparisons.

DJ Broughton, tight end, Mary G. Montgomery, (No. 15)

Broughton was one of the catalysts for a remarkable turnaround for Class 7A Mary G. Montgomery, along with all-star teammate and Mississippi State signee Kaleb Morris (No. 0).

After being a longtime commit to South Florida, Broughton will forever be remembered as the first Auburn commit of the Alex Golesh era.

EJ Crowell, running back, Jackson, (No. 13)

The hype could not be any higher for Crowell, who is the most celebrated back to sign with the Crimson Tide since Derrick Henry. Like Henry, Crowell will have to learn the nuances of the position before becoming a major contributor in college. But the talent when Crowell has the ball in his hands is undeniable.

Brock Bradley, quarterback, Spain Park, (No. 7)

The Alabama squad should be in good shape with two pocket-passer quarterbacks who are athletic enough to make plays on the run. Bradley is a longtime pledge to the Clemson Tigers. He will share the position with his future in-state rival Landon Duckworth (No. 3), who will play for South Carolina after leading Jackson to back-to-back state championships.

Mhari Johnson, defensive lineman, Muscle Shoals, (No. 9)

The 6-foot-4, 275-pound defensive lineman was a catalyst for one of the stiffest defenses in the state at Muscle Shoals. He could be a strong candidate for early playing time with the Crimson Tide.

While Johnson is expected to be one of the top playmakers on the defensive line, look for Central-Phenix City linebacker and Jacksonville State signee Tristan Lyle (No. 19) and Gadsden City defensive back and Alabama signee Zyan Gibson (No. 5) to also be defensive leaders.

MISSISSIPPI

JJ Hill, running back, Tupelo (No. 0)

Hill is the younger brother of Alabama’s Daniel Hill. Both are bruising backs. The younger Hill is 25 pounds lighter than his brother, but he’s still listed at 6-feet, 220 pounds. Hill will share the backfield with Gulfport’s Cooper Crosby (No. 6). Crosby was likely headed for Auburn before the Tigers made a coaching change. He will now play for Mississippi State. Tupelo and Gulfport squared off in a wild state championship game a week ago, with Gulfport scoring on a Hail Mary pass and extra point at the end of the game to win. Now the two backs who starred in that game will be all-star teammates before playing together at Mississippi State.

Bryson Cooley, offensive lineman, West Jones (jersey No. 63)

Securing Cooley late in the recruiting process was a huge win for Alabama. He is one of two future Tide players on the Mississippi roster, joining defensive lineman Nolan Smith (No. 34) of Picayune Memorial.

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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 11, 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 11, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from Dec. 11 drawing

01-10-12-20-28

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 11 drawing

Midday: 4-5-1, FB: 4

Evening: 2-5-4, FB: 4

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 11 drawing

Midday: 9-0-0-7, FB: 4

Evening: 1-7-0-0, FB: 4

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 11 drawing

Midday: 08

Evening: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Story continues below gallery.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.

Mississippi Lottery Corporation

P.O. Box 321462

Flowood, MS

39232

Mississippi Lottery Headquarters

1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100

Flowood, MS

39232

Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.

When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?

Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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