South Carolina Prepares for First Execution in Over a Decade
State prison officials confirm readiness with lethal injection, electric chair, and firing squad options for Freddie Eugene Owens' execution on September 20.
- South Carolina's last execution was in 2011, halted due to drug shortages and legal challenges.
- Corrections Director Bryan Stirling certified the availability of three execution methods: lethal injection, electric chair, and firing squad.
- Owens, convicted of a 1997 murder, has until September 6 to choose his method of execution or default to the electric chair.
- A 2023 shield law keeps details about the lethal injection drug supplier confidential, aiding the resumption of executions.
- Governor Henry McMaster holds the sole power to grant clemency, a rare occurrence in South Carolina's history.
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