COLUMBIA, S.C. — A South Carolina man found guilty of a double murder in 2002 is scheduled to be put to death on Friday by firing squad, a method of execution rarely used in the state until now. Barring any last-minute intervention from the governor’s office or the U.S. Supreme Court, Brad Sigmon’s execution is set for 6 p.m. at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia. At 67 years old, Sigmon would be the oldest inmate to be executed by the state.
His attorney, Gerald “Bo” King, has made an appeal for clemency to Governor Henry McMaster on behalf of Sigmon, highlighting his client’s transformation while in prison, his renewed commitment to his Christian faith, and the absence of any danger he poses while incarcerated. King stated on Thursday, “The man Brad is today does not deserve execution.”
Governor McMaster, a Republican, approved a law in 2021 that permits the use of the firing squad and requires condemned inmates to select between it, lethal injection, or the state’s primary method of execution, electrocution. McMaster’s office declined to comment on the matter.
Sigmon opted for the firing squad due to concerns raised about past lethal injection executions in South Carolina. According to court documents filed by the defense last month, previous inmates required double the amount of pentobarbital, resulting in one inmate experiencing a death akin to “drowning” with swollen lungs filled with blood and fluid, as noted in an autopsy report.
In response to Sigmon’s choice, state prosecutors argued that he had forfeited any argument regarding lethal injection by selecting the firing squad.
King mentioned that Sigmon has taken responsibility for his actions and acknowledged that he deserves punishment. However, King emphasized that Sigmon had been tasked with making a decision on his method of execution with limited knowledge of each protocol.
South Carolina resumed executions in September after a 13-year hiatus due to the state’s inability to acquire lethal injection drugs. A shield law allows authorities to withhold information about the source of the current pentobarbital supply.
Richard “Dick” Harpootlian, a former prosecutor with experience in death penalty cases who proposed the firing squad legislation during his time in the state Legislature in 2021, stated his initial reservations but ultimately found the firing squad method “less barbaric” than the electric chair.
The state has disclosed some details about the firing squad procedure, which includes three Department of Corrections volunteers firing rifles loaded with live ammunition from behind a wall approximately 15 feet away from the inmate, who will be seated. Prior to the shots being fired, the inmate will be allowed to make a final statement, followed by the placement of a hood over his head and a target over his heart. A room with bullet-resistant glass will separate the execution chamber from the witnesses, including media personnel, who will be present.
The last firing
Deborah Denno, a professor at Fordham Law School specializing in the death penalty, pointed out that it is often easier to imagine things going wrong than to have confidence in everything going right. She noted that execution by firing squad is considered one of the less inhumane options in comparison to methods like lethal injection and nitrogen gas, given the quickness of death from a shot to the heart. The resurgence of firing squads in some states harkens back to historical periods when this method was more common, such as during the colonial era and the Civil War for deserters.
Even though firing squads were used as early as America’s first execution in 1608, the recent adoption of this method by several states is unprecedented. Witnesses of the last firing squad execution in Utah described the sound of gunfire in the chamber and observed the reaction of the inmate, Ronnie Lee Gardner, after being shot. Mental health support is offered to staff involved in executions by the corrections department.
The condemned individual, Sigmon, was convicted for the fatal beating of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, William and Gladys Larke, using a baseball bat in their home in Greenville County. He then kidnapped his ex-girlfriend, who managed to escape, leading to his capture after a manhunt in Tennessee. Sigmon’s defense team argued for a halt in his execution, citing the jury’s lack of knowledge about his mental illness and troubled childhood, which they believe affected the quality of legal representation he received.
Despite Sigmon’s efforts, the South Carolina Supreme Court denied his request to stop the execution, stating that the mitigating evidence would not have changed the jury’s perception of his culpability. Abigail Brooks reported from Columbia, and Erik Ortiz reported from New York.
