Witnessing Gardner's Execution

Shortly after midnight Friday, Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by firing squad in Utah. “The curtains opened and Gardner was there,” writes Marcos Ortiz, a witness to the execution. “His arms, shoulders, waist and leg was strapped as was his head. ... Gardner seemed relaxed.” When asked if he had last words, Gardner said, “I do not. No.” The deputy left the room. Ortiz said, “Thirty seconds later I was startled hearing a ‘boom, boom.'" Ortiz continues: "A three-inch square white patch was placed over Gardner's heart. On the patch was a circle centered in the middle. After the shots were fired, I saw a large dark circle on the upper left side of the target area. Two bullets found their mark there. A smaller bullet hole was seen about an inch away. It was still inside the target area. A fourth bullet hole could be seen on the lower left side of the patch outside the target area.” After the shots were fired, Gardner was still, Ortiz said, until “there was movement coming from Gardner's left hand. He clenched it tightly. I couldn't tell if it was a reflex or if Gardner was grimacing. Seconds later he relaxed the hand. And then he clenched the fist once more before relaxing it a final time.”