Merlin Thomas

And the worst may still yet to be to come because they've still issued some of those for Monday and Tuesday, too.

There have been dozens of injuries reported as well as several fatalities related to these thunderstorms and tornadoes, which tore their way through central United States and then left there in their wake a destruction, a trail of destruction in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast. Now, according to the National Weather Service, they've got reports of at least 26 tornadoes

There have been dozens of injuries reported as well as several fatalities related to these thunderstorms and tornadoes, which tore their way through central United States and then left there in their wake a destruction, a trail of destruction in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast. Now, according to the National Weather Service, they've got reports of at least 26 tornadoes

In these regions that have torn through and made touchdown, they've been reported but not yet confirmed. And this is really a mix of tornadoes, thunderstorms, as well as large hail. Now, the state of Missouri has been in particular badly hit where they have seen downed power lines and commercial buildings and homes destroyed.

In these regions that have torn through and made touchdown, they've been reported but not yet confirmed. And this is really a mix of tornadoes, thunderstorms, as well as large hail. Now, the state of Missouri has been in particular badly hit where they have seen downed power lines and commercial buildings and homes destroyed.

destroyed and damaged as well and local authorities say that they're working tirelessly to help those in need to recover their belongings and work through the debris of what has been left after the trail of these thunderstorms and tornadoes and they've also said that they're still assessing the damage to

destroyed and damaged as well and local authorities say that they're working tirelessly to help those in need to recover their belongings and work through the debris of what has been left after the trail of these thunderstorms and tornadoes and they've also said that they're still assessing the damage to

some of those residential areas and some of those areas with those commercial buildings as well. Now it's important to say that it's not just tornadoes as well that have been triggered by this. There have also been wildfires which have been fueled by these thunderstorms and tornadoes, particularly in states like Oklahoma and Texas.

some of those residential areas and some of those areas with those commercial buildings as well. Now it's important to say that it's not just tornadoes as well that have been triggered by this. There have also been wildfires which have been fueled by these thunderstorms and tornadoes, particularly in states like Oklahoma and Texas.

Now according to the Oklahoma Forestry Service, some wildfires have burned through more than 27,000 acres of forestry And that fire has been zero percent contained. That's according to the Oklahoma National Forestry Service. Now, they've also said that they've issued a risk warning to areas in the panhandle as well. So this is really a lot more to come and the worst is yet to come.

Now according to the Oklahoma Forestry Service, some wildfires have burned through more than 27,000 acres of forestry And that fire has been zero percent contained. That's according to the Oklahoma National Forestry Service. Now, they've also said that they've issued a risk warning to areas in the panhandle as well. So this is really a lot more to come and the worst is yet to come.

He was offered the alternatives of death by electric chair or death by lethal injection, but his lawyers say he chose the more violent option because he had concerns about the effectiveness of the other option. For example, he said that the electric chair would, and I quote, cook him alive. And he feared that the lethal injection would essentially drown him by sending a rush of fluid to his lungs.

He was offered the alternatives of death by electric chair or death by lethal injection, but his lawyers say he chose the more violent option because he had concerns about the effectiveness of the other option. For example, he said that the electric chair would, and I quote, cook him alive. And he feared that the lethal injection would essentially drown him by sending a rush of fluid to his lungs.

And there have been questions around the effectiveness of, say, the lethal injection, because... In South Carolina itself, the three most recent cases of men who were sentenced to death by the lethal injection were declared dead after 20 minutes but appeared to stop breathing after just a few minutes.

And there have been questions around the effectiveness of, say, the lethal injection, because... In South Carolina itself, the three most recent cases of men who were sentenced to death by the lethal injection were declared dead after 20 minutes but appeared to stop breathing after just a few minutes.

And there's also been questions around the lack of transparency in terms of the lethal injection because there was a new law that was brought in in 2023 which shielded the names of the suppliers and the exact contents of those lethal injections. And so lawyers and other critics have said that Because they don't have that information, they can't properly analyse what's in the lethal injection.

And there's also been questions around the lack of transparency in terms of the lethal injection because there was a new law that was brought in in 2023 which shielded the names of the suppliers and the exact contents of those lethal injections. And so lawyers and other critics have said that Because they don't have that information, they can't properly analyse what's in the lethal injection.

And it should be said that this is a really rare instance. Brad Sigmund will only be the fourth person since the country reintroduced the death penalty in 1976 to be executed by firing squad.

And it should be said that this is a really rare instance. Brad Sigmund will only be the fourth person since the country reintroduced the death penalty in 1976 to be executed by firing squad.

It's very possible. In Idaho, there was recently a bill that was passed that could make death by firing squad the primary method. And also, it's still the secondary method in several other states as well, if, for example, a lethal injection drug can't be obtained.