Overview

• Federal Judge Mary Geiger Lewis expressed reluctance to strip Governor Henry McMaster of his clemency authority in the case of death row inmate Richard Moore.
• Moore's attorneys argue that McMaster, a former state attorney general, cannot impartially review the clemency petition due to his past involvement in Moore's prosecution.
• Governor McMaster has agreed to submit a sworn statement affirming his commitment to a fair and impartial clemency review process.
• The execution of Richard Moore, set for November 1, would be South Carolina's second execution since a 13-year hiatus due to drug availability issues for lethal injection.
• Moore, on death row for a 1999 murder, has exhausted most legal avenues and seeks clemency as his final option, while his legal team continues to pursue appeals.