South Carolina Set to Execute Man by Firing Squad
- National FOF Staff
Categories: capital punishment , Execution , firing squad , legal debate , South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old South Carolina man convicted of double murder, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad. This execution is set to be the first use of this method in the United States in 15 years.
- The Crime:
- Sigmon was convicted of the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriend's parents, William and Gladys Larke, in their Taylors, South Carolina, home.
- He beat them to death with a baseball bat in what prosecutors described as a botched kidnapping attempt.
- He also attempted to kidnap his ex girlfriend, and shot her in the foot as she escaped.
- Execution Method:
- Sigmon chose execution by firing squad over lethal injection or the electric chair.
- His attorneys stated that he had concerns about the potential for prolonged suffering with the other methods.
- The execution is set to take place at the South Carolina Department of Corrections in Columbia.
- Three volunteer gunmen will fire live ammunition at Sigmon, who will be strapped to a chair with a target over his heart.
- Legal Challenges:
- Sigmon's legal team has filed appeals, including a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that South Carolina's lack of transparency regarding its lethal injection protocol violates due process rights.
- His lawyers have also asked for executive clemency.
- Background:
- The South Carolina Supreme Court has upheld the legality of executions by firing squad.
- There has been much debate surrounding the different execution methods, and their humaneness.
- Sigmon's case has brought renewed attention to the debate over capital punishment.
- Information shows that he admitted to the killings in court.
- Additional details:
- If the execution is carried out, Brad Sigmon will be the oldest person executed in South Carolina.
- The execution is set to take place at the Broad River Correctional Institution.
This case has sparked significant discussion regarding capital punishment and the various methods of execution.