A South Carolina inmate, Richard Moore, has chosen to be executed by lethal injection for the killing of a store clerk in 1999. Moore, who is currently appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution, was given the option to choose his method of execution, with the deadline set for Friday. The state law mandated that if no decision was made by then, Moore would be electrocuted.
Moore, aged 59, was convicted for the murder of clerk James Mahoney during a robbery attempt in Spartanburg County. The incident involved a shootout where Moore, unarmed initially, took one of the clerk's guns and exchanged fire. Prosecutors found Moore's blood on Mahoney's body, indicating his involvement in the crime.
Notably, Moore is the only African American man on South Carolina's death row to have been convicted by an all-white jury. His defense argues that he acted in self-defense after being threatened with a weapon during the robbery.
The state's corrections director confirmed the readiness of all execution methods, including the electric chair and firing squad, but Moore opted for lethal injection using a single dose of pentobarbital. This new protocol aligns with the federal government's execution method and has been successfully used in recent executions in the state.
Moore's legal team plans to seek clemency, citing the harshness of his sentence and his positive behavior while incarcerated. They emphasize his role in mentoring other inmates and his commitment to family and faith.
Despite efforts to challenge the execution, Governor Henry McMaster holds the authority to grant clemency, a move that has never been exercised in South Carolina's modern death penalty era. Moore's lawyers have attempted to shift the decision-making process away from the governor, but legal proceedings indicate McMaster's intention to fulfill his obligations.
South Carolina's history with capital punishment reflects a decline in executions following a prolonged pause due to drug procurement issues. The state's death row population has decreased significantly, with several inmates receiving alternative sentences or passing away from natural causes.
