South Carolina Prepares for Its First Execution in Over a Decade Amid Legal Appeals

South Carolina is preparing to execute its first inmate in over a decade due to a pause caused by the unavailability of lethal injection drugs. Freddie Eugene Owens, 46, is scheduled for execution at a Columbia prison. He was convicted for the 1997 murder of a convenience store clerk in Greenville. Owens' appeals have been denied, including one by a federal court.

Execution Resumption in South Carolina

Owens might be the first of several inmates executed at Broad River Correctional Institution. Five other inmates have exhausted their appeals, and the South Carolina Supreme Court has cleared the way for executions every five weeks. The state added the firing squad as an option after its lethal injection drug supply expired.

To resume executions, South Carolina passed a shield law to keep drug suppliers and execution protocols confidential. The state switched from a three-drug method to using only pentobarbital, similar to federal executions. Inmates can choose between lethal injection, firing squad, or the electric chair from 1912.

Details of Owens' Crimes

Owens was convicted of killing Irene Graves in 1999. Prosecutors said he shot her when she couldn't open the store's safe. Before sentencing for Graves' murder, Owens killed fellow inmate Christopher Lee in jail. He confessed to stabbing and choking Lee, claiming he was wrongly convicted of murder.

Owens' death sentences were overturned twice on appeal but reinstated. He was charged with Lee's murder but never tried; charges were dropped with an option to reinstate them in 2019 when Owens ran out of appeals.

Final Appeals and Legal Challenges

In his final appeal, Owens' lawyers argued that prosecutors lacked scientific evidence linking him to Graves' murder. The main evidence was testimony from a co-defendant who pleaded guilty. A sworn statement from Steven Golden contradicted his trial testimony, saying Owens wasn't at the store.

Prosecutors countered with testimonies from Owens' friends and ex-girlfriend who claimed he bragged about the murder. "South Carolina is on the verge of executing a man for a crime he did not commit," said attorney Gerald "Bo" King.

Historical Context and Current Situation

South Carolina's last execution occurred in May 2011. It took years of legislative efforts to restart capital punishment, including adding the firing squad and passing a shield law. Since 1976, South Carolina has executed 43 inmates, ranking among states with high execution numbers.

The state's death row population has decreased since the pause began. In early 2011, there were 63 condemned inmates; now there are 32. About 20 inmates received different sentences after successful appeals or died naturally.

Owens changed his name to Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah while in prison, but records still refer to him as Owens. His last hope is for Governor Henry McMaster to commute his sentence to life imprisonment. McMaster plans to announce his decision minutes before the execution begins.

South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty will hold a vigil outside the prison before Owens' scheduled execution time.