In Columbia, South Carolina, attorneys representing a state inmate facing execution next month are seeking to halt his death sentence. They argue that the defense’s plea for his life during his original trial was inadequate, lasting only a brief period and lacking depth. Mikal Mahdi, aged 41, is set to be executed on April 11 for the 2004 murder of an off-duty police officer. The incident involved ambushing the officer in his work shed, shooting him multiple times, and setting his body on fire in Calhoun County.
Mahdi opted to plead guilty to the murder, leaving the decision of life imprisonment versus the death penalty in the hands of a judge rather than a jury. His current legal team contends that the effort to spare Mahdi’s life was cursory, lasting only approximately 30 minutes. They assert that crucial aspects of Mahdi’s troubled childhood, marked by severe trauma, were not adequately presented in court due to uncooperative family members and a lack of outreach to potential character witnesses.
Born as the second son to a mother who married young in an arranged union, Mahdi faced a tumultuous upbringing. His lawyers highlight instances of abuse and neglect, including being abruptly withdrawn from school at a young age for paramilitary training. Mahdi’s time spent in prison from adolescence to early adulthood, including stints in solitary confinement, exacerbated his mental health struggles, which were not fully explored during his trial.
During the trial, the prosecution presented a substantial number of witnesses, while the defense called upon only two. Mahdi’s legal team argues that crucial aspects of his life story were reduced to a mere summary, denying him a fair chance at mercy. Despite previous unsuccessful appeals regarding the effectiveness of his trial lawyers, Mahdi’s attorneys are pushing for a reconsideration of his case before the scheduled execution date.
As the deadline approaches for Mahdi to choose his method of execution — firing squad, electric chair, or lethal injection — his legal team is advocating for a more thorough review of his circumstances before any irreversible action is taken. The plea for a more comprehensive examination of Mahdi’s life and upbringing seeks to ensure that fairness and justice are upheld in his case, urging for a deeper consideration of his humanity before any final judgment is made.
The error lies with his defense lawyers, and he shouldn’t be facing death as a result of it. “We now understand that Judge Newman did not have the necessary information to make an accurate sentencing determination,” they stated.
