South Carolina Prepares for Second Firing Squad Execution of 2025

Mikal Mahdi is set to be executed for the 2004 murder of a police officer after the state Supreme Court denied his final appeal.

Mikal Mahdi, convicted of killing Police Captain James Myers in 2004, is scheduled for execution by firing squad on April 11, 2025, in South Carolina.
This will be South Carolina's second firing squad execution this year, following Brad Sigmon's execution in March, as the state resumes capital punishment after a 13-year pause.
Mahdi chose the firing squad over lethal injection or electrocution, citing concerns over the inhumanity of other methods.
His attorneys argue that his abusive childhood, extensive solitary confinement, and inadequate legal defense contributed to his circumstances and should warrant clemency.
South Carolina's firing squad protocols involve three volunteer shooters firing from 15 feet away, with a red bull’s-eye target on the inmate’s chest.