A double murderer convicted of brutally killing his ex-girlfriend's parents in 2001 is set to become the first inmate executed by firing squad in the US since 2010. As the hours count down, Brad Keith Sigmon, 67, has made a desperate plea for clemency, citing mental health struggles and claims of rehabilitation, according to Daily Mail.
The Execution: Date, Time and Location
Sigmon is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at 6 PM EST at the Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina. His attorney, Bo King, continues to argue that Sigmon's mental health history should warrant a delay, stating: 'The death penalty is reserved for the most egregious cases, and in Brad's situation, his documented psychotic break and lack of competency during the trial should weigh heavily against imposing such a sentence.'
Despite these arguments, the South Carolina Supreme Court rejected Sigmon's final appeal, leaving his fate in the hands of Governor Henry McMaster. A last-minute stay of execution appears unlikely, as no South Carolina governor has granted clemency since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, a period in which the state has carried out 46 executions, per reports from NBC News.
Why Sigmon Chose the Firing Squad
Sigmon was given the choice between lethal injection, the electric chair, or the firing squad. His attorney argues that he was not fully informed about the lethal injection process and feared the extreme pain associated with electrocution, believing the electric chair would 'burn and cook him alive'.
Concerns over botched lethal injections also played a role in his decision. King cited recent executions in South Carolina where inmates remained alive for over twenty minutes. He referenced Freddie Owens, who took 20 minutes to be officially pronounced dead, raising fears that expired or improperly administered drugs could lead to a prolonged, agonising death.
'He wanted to know—had the drugs expired, had they been diluted, had they spoiled? And none of those facts were disclosed despite his repeated requests,' King explained.
What Happens in a Firing Squad Execution?
Sigmon will be secured in a chair in the prison's death chamber, with his head covered by a hood and a target placed over his heart. Three volunteer executioners, positioned 15 feet away, will fire live rounds at his chest.
Though firing squads were commonly used during the Civil War, they have been exceedingly rare in modern US executions. Since 1976, only three executions by firing squad have taken place, all in Utah. The last such execution was Ronnie Gardner in 2010.
'It's the only method we have in this country for which people are trained to kill,' Fordham Law Professor Deborah Denno, an expert on capital punishment, told NBC News. 'It appears the death is the quickest.'
Sigmon's execution is expected to be rapid and effective, in stark contrast to the suffering he inflicted on his victims.
Sigmon's Sadistic Double Murder
On April 27, 2001, Sigmon brutally murdered his ex-girlfriend's parents, David and Gladys Larke, inside their home. Sigmon had dated Rebecca Barbare, the couple's daughter, for two years. After she ended the relationship and moved back in with her parents, Sigmon began stalking her.
Two weeks later, fuelled by cocaine and alcohol, he told his friend Eugene Strube of his intention to 'tie [Barbare's] parents up' and 'get [her] for leaving him the way she did.'
When he arrived at the Larkes' home the next morning, Barbare was not there. Enraged, he beat her elderly parents to death with a baseball bat, delivering at least nine blows each, shattering their skulls. When Barbare returned home, Sigmon kidnapped her, forcing her to drive him at gunpoint in an attempt to flee. She managed to escape, and although Sigmon fired at her, she survived.
Trial, Conviction and Death Sentence
Sigmon was arrested in Tennessee following a manhunt and extradited to South Carolina to stand trial. He later admitted to police that he had planned to kill Barbare before taking his own life.
During the trial, Sigmon refused to enter a guilty plea, stating: 'Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am guilty.' The jury convicted him of two counts of murder and first-degree burglary, sentencing him to death.
His legal team has spent two decades filing appeals, but the courts have consistently upheld the sentence, per reports from the US Supreme Court.
Debate Over Capital Punishment
Sigmon's execution has reignited debates over the death penalty and the humanity of execution methods. While his guilt remains undisputed, critics argue that mental health considerations, fairness, and the potential for cruel punishment must be taken into account.
As South Carolina carries out its first firing squad execution in over a decade, the broader conversation surrounding the ethics of capital punishment in the US is far from over.
