negar mortazavi. iranian-american journalist and political analyst. host of the iran podcast. up next, death by firing squad, poison gas or electrocution? -- the justice department is trying to expand the number of ways it can kill prisoners. we will be joined by sister helen. stay with us. [music break] ♪ amy: this is democracy now! the quaranne report. death by firing squad, electrocution or poison gas? under a new rule filed by the trump administration, these methods can now be used to carry out executions for federal death sentences in addition to lethal injection. the amendment to the manner of federal executions rule was entered friday into the federal register and goes into effect christmas eve, that is december 24. this comes as the trump administration has already executed eight people in the past five months. earlier this month, it executed orlando hall at the federal penitentiary in terre haute, indiana. hall was an african-american man sentenced to die by an all-white jury. prior to this year, the federal government had not executed anybody since 2003, 17 years ago