South Carolina Executes Marion Bowman Despite Longstanding Claims of Innocence

Bowman, convicted of a 2001 murder, maintained his innocence and criticized the legal process and death row conditions in his final days.

Marion Bowman, a 44-year-old man convicted of the 2001 murder of Kandee Martin, was executed by lethal injection in South Carolina, marking the state's third execution since lifting a 13-year pause on capital punishment.
Bowman consistently maintained his innocence, claiming his conviction was based on unreliable witness testimony and withheld evidence, and refused a plea deal early in the case because he said he did not commit the crime.
His legal team argued that racial bias, inadequate defense counsel, and prosecutorial misconduct undermined his trial; these claims were rejected by the courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, which denied his final appeal.
The execution reignited debates over the use of lethal injection, with concerns raised about the drug pentobarbital's effects and the secrecy surrounding its procurement under South Carolina's shield law.
Bowman declined to request clemency, stating he could not accept life imprisonment for a crime he did not commit, while his family and advocates highlighted his humanity and the harsh conditions he endured on death row.