Brad Sigmon, a South Carolina man convicted of a 2002 double murder, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad, a method that has not been used by the state before. His lawyer has requested clemency from the governor, arguing that Sigmon has transformed his life in prison. Sigmon, 67, would be the oldest inmate executed by the state. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed a bill in 2021 allowing inmates to choose their method of execution, including firing squad, due to concerns about previous lethal injection executions in the state.
Sigmon chose firing squad over lethal injection. The state has released details of how the execution will be carried out, with three Department of Corrections employees firing rifles loaded with live ammunition at the inmate. Witnesses, including media, will be allowed in a separate room. Despite concerns about the method, experts note that execution by firing squad may be one of the least inhumane options compared to other methods.
Sigmon was found guilty of beating his girlfriend’s parents to death with a baseball bat in 2001. His request to halt the execution on the grounds of his mental illness and abusive childhood was rejected by the South Carolina Supreme Court. The execution would be the first by firing squad in South Carolina since the state restarted executions in 2021.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image of the presented article.
