On this day - 17 January

Gary Gilmore was convicted for two murders he had carried out in 1976. He was given the death sentence for the murders. Gilmore waived his rights to appeal and accepted he was to die. The two methods of execution in Utah at the time were hanging or by firing squad and, given the choice, Gilmore chose firing squad.

On January 17th 1977 Gilmore was executed by a firing squad of five. He was the first person to be executed since the US had reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The penalty had been suspended in 1972 by the Supreme Court. At Gilmore's request, his corneas were donated to transplant patients.