SC Justices Refuse to Halt Execution Despite Claims of Innocence
COLUMBIA — On Thursday, the state Supreme Court again declined to stop the scheduled execution of Freddie Owens, who was sentenced to death for a fatal shooting he allegedly committed during a robbery. This decision ensures that Owens will be the first person to be executed in South Carolina in 13 years unless Gov. Henry McMaster intervenes.
The Case Against Owens
In 1999, Owens was convicted for the murder of a gas station clerk during a robbery in Greenville. Although he asserts his innocence, his execution is scheduled at 6 p.m. Friday. Owens, who legally changed his name to Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah in 2015, avers that he did not play a role in the killing. However, the Supreme Court has not accepted his claim of innocence and thus refused to delay his execution.
This will mark the first execution since the state Supreme Court decreed that the execution methods of electrocution and firing squad are constitutional, thereby revivifying death warrants.
In recent days, multiple last-minute pleas were made to halt the execution through various legal filings. However, the Supreme Court has seemingly finished responding to these legal strives.
New Claims of Innocence
A significant recent development in the case is a declaration by Steven Golden, the lone eyewitness at the scene and an accomplice in the robbery. He signed a statement alleging that Owens was not with him on the night of the murder, contrary to his initial testimony. He now asserts that he had falsely testified that Owens was the shooter, claiming the real perpetrator was another individual whom he hasn’t named for fear of reprisal.
Despite these revelations, the Supreme Court sided with Attorney General Alan Wilson and concluded that the case does not waver based on Golden’s new claim. The court emphasized that there is ample independent evidence against Owens from multiple sources, including testimonies from Owens’ mother, girlfriend, another accomplice, and law enforcement officials.
Appeals and Outcomes
Following the court’s decision, Owens’ fate now rests in the hands of Gov. McMaster who has historically supported the death penalty. A group of activists presented two petitions to the governor’s office, each garnering over 5,000 signatures appealing for a stay of execution.
Despite the federal judge’s denial to halt Owens’ execution over queries about state’s drug supply, a lawsuit field last Friday will proceed in a bid to protect other condemned inmates who will soon have to decide their method of execution. The state Supreme Court has delineated its timeline for issuing death warrants with at least five weeks intervals between executions. Based on these provisions, Richard Moore is next in line for execution, convicted in 2001 for a similar crime of fatally shooting a gas station clerk.
Significance and Implications
The imminent execution of Owens brings several critical issues to the forefront. Through his tumultuous journey in the justice system, arguments around his troubled childhood, a brain injury, and his Islamic faith have been brought up but not considered adequate grounds for clemency. With his execution looming, this case is now emblematic of a series of complex discussions around the death penalty, legal injustice, and the value of human life.
