South Carolina Executes First Inmate in 13 Years

Columbia, South Carolina – South Carolina has seen its first execution in 13 years after administering a lethal injection to Freddie Owens. Owens, aged 46, was convicted by a jury for the murder of Irene Graves during an armed robbery in Greenville in 1997. His execution occurred despite a co-defendant’s sworn statement affirming Owens’ absence during the crime.

Refusal to Halt the Execution

South Carolina’s Supreme Court opted not to stall Owens’ execution, holding that the recent allegations were inconsistent with the testimony from his trial. Owens’ death sentence was carried out on Friday evening at the Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina; a pronouncement of death came at 18:55 local time (22:55 GMT) following a lethal injection of pentobarbital. The convicted made no final statement.

The Case at a Glance

The state had previously suspended executions due to inaccessibility of the needed drug for lethal injections. Owens had been sentenced to death back in 1999, two years post the murder of Graves. The charges held against him were murder, armed robbery, and criminal conspiracy. Additionaly, CNN affiliate WHNS reported that he murdered his cellmate the day after being found guilty.

Reports from South Carolina newspaper The State indicated that Owens, 19 at the time, and his accomplice Steve Golden, then 18, attempted to rob a convenience store where the victim, Irene Graves, was employed. Owens reportedly shot Graves for failing to open a safe beneath the counter, according to Golden’s testimony during the trial. Graves, a single mother of three, was 41 at the time of her death.

Appeals and Denials

Owen’s lawyers made several attempts to impede his execution, including two in September. However, the court dismissed each appeal. In their latest attempt, they referenced an affidavit signed by Golden, wherein he proclaimed Owens’ innocence. The court dismissed this saying the new affidavit contradicted Golden’s previous testimony and his post-arrest statement to the police. Other trial witnesses testified that Owens confessed to shooting Graves, according to the prosecutors.

Owens’ mother and anti-death penalty advocates also appealed for clemency which was denied by Governor Henry McMaster. Hours prior to his execution, Owens’s mother expressed, “Freddie has maintained his innocence since day one,” as reported by a local news outlet.

The Execution Method

South Carolina inmates are given three choices for their execution: lethal injection, electric chair, or firing squad. Owens deferred the choice to his lawyer, who chose lethal injection. As per witness journalists, members of Graves’ family were also present during the execution.