Marion Bowman Jr., a South Carolina inmate, is set to be executed by lethal injection for the 2001 killing of a friend found dead in her burning car. Despite maintaining his innocence, Bowman decided not to seek clemency from the governor, as he did not want to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he claims he did not commit.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Bowman's final appeal, allowing the execution to proceed. His attorney argued that Bowman did not receive a vigorous defense during his trial, citing concerns that his lawyer was racially biased and overly sympathetic to the victim.
Bowman's case raised questions about the fairness of South Carolina's shield law, which limits information about the lethal injection process. Concerns were also raised about the execution protocol's adequacy for individuals with obesity, as Bowman's weight was listed at 389 pounds.
South Carolina law offers inmates a choice between lethal injection, the electric chair, and a firing squad. The state has recently resumed executions after a 13-year hiatus, with Bowman being the third Black man to be executed in four months.
Despite facing numerous legal challenges and maintaining his innocence, Marion Bowman Jr. is scheduled to be executed at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia on Friday evening.
