A South Carolina man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents with a baseball bat is set to face a rare form of execution - a firing squad. This will mark the first firing squad execution in the United States in 15 years.
The inmate, 67-year-old Brad Sigmon, is scheduled to be executed for the 2001 murders at their home in Greenville County. Sigmon brutally beat the victims to death with a baseball bat before attempting to kidnap his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint. Fortunately, she managed to escape unharmed.
Before the execution, Sigmon will be moved to a cell closer to the death chamber at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia. The process will involve the warden seeking approval from the Governor and Attorney General's Office, followed by Sigmon being strapped to a chair with a hood over his head.
The firing squad, consisting of three state Corrections Department volunteers armed with rifles, will be positioned 15 feet away from Sigmon. They will aim for his heart with .308-caliber Winchester 110-grain TAP Urban ammunition, designed to cause immediate and severe damage upon impact.
While the state claims that the firing squad method is humane and quick, medical experts have differing opinions on the potential pain and consciousness of the inmate during the process. Witnesses will be present to confirm Sigmon's death before signing official documents.
Details about the firing squad members and their training remain undisclosed due to a shield law protecting their identities. The use of a firing squad, along with lethal injection and the electric chair, was deemed legal by the state Supreme Court in 2022.
As the nation prepares for this rare form of execution, questions linger about the ethical implications and effectiveness of such methods in carrying out the death penalty.
