South Carolina Prepares for First Execution in 13 Years Amid Controversies and Legal Challenges

South Carolina Gears Up for First Execution in Over a Decade

South Carolina is poised to carry out its first execution in 13 years, following an involuntary hiatus due to the state’s inability to secure the necessary drugs for lethal injections. The execution of Freddie Eugene Owens, 46, is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday at a prison in Columbia. Owens was convicted in 1999 for the murder of a store clerk in Greenville.

Legal Challenges and Clemency Petition

Despite numerous last-ditch efforts, Owens’ ultimate appeals have been rejected. His final recourse to evade execution is a commutation of his sentence to life imprisonment by Republican South Carolina Governor, Henry McMaster. As per tradition, McMaster is expected to reveal his decision minutes before the lethal injection begins, when prison authorities make the cursory call to confirm there are no grounds to postpone the execution.

Preparation for More Executions

Owens may be the first in a line of inmates to meet their fate in South Carolina’s death chamber at Broad River Correctional Institution. With five other inmates having exhausted their appeals and the South Carolina Supreme Court greenlighting executions to be held every five weeks, the pace of capital punishment in the state may be quickening.

Choices for Method of Execution

With regards to the method of execution, South Carolina law allows condemned inmates to choose between lethal injection, the newly sanctioned firing squad, or the state’s antiquated electric chair. Owens, having entrusted the decision to his lawyer, argued that making the choice himself would be tantamount to participating in his own death, an act his religious beliefs categorically reject. Consequently, Owens, who adopted the name Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah in prison, underlines the enduring conflict between state law and inmate rights.

The Crimes and Controversies

Owens was convicted of killing Irene Graves in 1999. However, the case has been shadowed by another murder, that of inmate Christopher Lee, whom Owens fatally assaulted after his conviction for Graves’ murder but before his sentencing. This confession was subsequently read to each jury and judge who ultimately condemned Owens to death.

In his final appeal, Owens’ lawyers argued that the primary evidence against him was a co-defendant who pleaded guilty and testified that Owens was the killer. The defense also highlighted that Owens was victims of physical and sexual abuse during his period in juvenile prison.

Implications of the Execution

The execution of Owens draws attention to the controversial and often contested practice of capital punishment. Despite the protracted legal battles and appeals, Owens’ execution will underscore the unwavering stance of many U.S. states in favor of the death penalty. As South Carolina prepares for its first execution in more than a decade, the eyes of the nation will be fixated on how the process unfolds and its potential future implications.