SC Supreme Court Holds Execution Warrants for Death-Row Inmates

Uncertainty Shrouds Execution Schedules in S.C

South Carolina faces uncertain times as it girds itself for the first execution in over a decade. While more than 30 inmates await their fate on death row, the state Supreme Court’s decision to withhold further execution warrants has cast a cloud of ambiguity over when subsequent executions will take place. Years of legal battles challenging the death penalty and the state’s hardships in procuring lethal-injection drugs have further complicated the issue.

A Pause in Execution Warrants

Among the inmates awaiting execution, five have exhausted their appeals. The state has scheduled the first execution, involving Freddy Eugene Owens convicted of a 1997 homicide, for September 20. However, the state Supreme Court has temporarily halted the issue of further death warrants as it deliberates the necessity of a minimum interval between executions and its appropriate duration.

Death-row inmates have lobbied for an execution schedule spaced at least three months apart, while state officials argue for a period closer to a month. Current state legislation does not prescribe a specific interval between executions, only mandating the execution to take place four Fridays after the state Supreme Court issues the inmate’s death warrant.

State’s Stance on Execution Interval

Addressing the speculation surrounding this topic, Governor Henry McMaster expressed faith in the present legislation, endorsing its unambiguous endorsement of the death penalty and effectively shifting the decision-making onus to the General Assembly.

Situation Unlikely to Impact Freddy Owens’ Execution

Meanwhile, the current debate is unlikely to affect Owens’ death-date. The state Supreme Court issued his execution notice last Friday, following which he now awaits judgement day. Owens’ fate will ultimately rest on Governor’s McMaster’s decision—Invoke clemency and commute Owens’ sentence to life in prison or uphold the death sentence.

Execution Method for Owens

As the execution date approaches, Owens will have to decide between lethal injection, the firing squad, or the electric chair—South Carolina’s default execution method. Notably, this would be the first execution where a firing squad is an option, thanks to an amendment to the state’s execution methods in 2021. It could also be the state’s first lethal injection using a newly acquired drug—pentobarbital, used in other states.

Despite the novelty of these methods, Governor McMaster expressed no reservations about their effectiveness. However, the state Supreme Court is yet to establish a deadline for deciding upon the timeline for future executions or when to resume issuing death warrants.