A U.S. politician says death by firing squad is "the most humane way to kill" someone on death row in Utah.

Republican Rep. Paul Ray will introduce his controversial proposal during the state's next legislative session in January, according to The Guardian. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Wyoming and Missouri proposed similar ideas, but neither succeeded.

Ray may be more successful since Utah has a tradition of executing criminals by firing squad, the last being held in 2010.

"It sounds like the wild west, but it's probably the most humane way to kill somebody," Ray said in an interview. "It sounds draconian. It sounds really bad, but the minute the bullet hits your heart, you're dead. There's no suffering."

Death by lethal injection has come under scrutiny following the botched execution of Oklahoma inmate Clayton Lockett in April. His vein collapsed during the procedure and Lockett died of a heart attack more than 40 minutes later.

Critics of Ray's proposal don't believe employing a firing squad is a sure-fire way to execute someone.

"It's possible an inmate could move or shooters could miss, causing the inmate a slow and painful death," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the Washington D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center, which opposes capital punishment.

Dieter said that if Utah brought back firing squads as a default option rather than leaving it up to inmates to choose, as was the practice before 2004, it could be challenged in court.