“By executing Brad Sigmon, South Carolina has also executed the possibility of redemption,” said one critic. “Our state is declaring that no matter what you do to make up for your wrongdoing, we reserve the right to kill you.”
“Our state is declaring that no matter what you do to make up for your wrongdoing, we reserve the right to kill you.”
How do you “make up for” killing two people with a baseball bat? I’ve got my own qualms about the death penalty, but that’s not exactly something you walk back from.
I too was shocked that this method still exists, but if you read more into the circumstances, you’ll understand why. The guy basically had a choice between lethal injection, electric chair, or firing squad. With all the botched executions via lethal injection recently, getting shot was pretty much the quickest and least painful option. I’m not defending the dealth penalty or anything, just giving context why someone would choose death by firing squad.
A clear line back to voting and legislation:
A desire to resume executions during a 10-year pause due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs prompted Republican state lawmakers to pass and GOP South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster in 2021 to sign legislation forcing the state’s death row inmates to choose between the electric chair, firing squad, or lethal injection (if available) as their method of execution.
many South Carolina Republicans want to expand the category of crimes that qualify for capital punishment. In 2023, more than 20 Republican state lawmakers backed a bill to make people who obtain abortion care eligible for execution.
The party for pro-life huh. Amazing how they disregard years of medical expertise, study and data to fold the narrative that fits their desired reality.
It’s weird to me how people can be for execution, but picky about how it’s done. I’d prefer guillotine personally, but I could settle for firing squad.
