South Carolina is preparing to carry out its first execution in 13 years, marking the end of an unintended hiatus due to the state's inability to procure the necessary drugs for lethal injections. The inmate scheduled for execution is Freddie Eugene Owens, aged 46, convicted of the 1997 killing of a convenience store clerk in Greenville who was unable to open the store's safe.
Owens' appeals have been exhausted, with his final opportunity to avoid death resting on a potential commutation of his sentence to life in prison by Republican Governor Henry McMaster. The Governor is expected to announce his decision just moments before the scheduled lethal injection, following a call from prison officials and the state attorney general to ensure no delays are warranted.
South Carolina's execution protocol has undergone changes, with the state resorting to a new method involving the sedative pentobarbital, similar to the federal government's approach. Inmates on death row are now given the choice between lethal injection, the firing squad, or the electric chair.
Owens, who changed his name to Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah while incarcerated, has a complex legal history, including a confession to a separate killing while awaiting sentencing for the initial murder conviction. Despite ongoing legal challenges, Owens' execution is proceeding as planned, drawing attention from advocacy groups opposed to the death penalty.
The impending execution of Owens signals a potential resurgence in capital punishment in South Carolina, with five other inmates awaiting their fate in the state's death chamber. The state's efforts to resume executions have faced obstacles, including the need to pass legislation safeguarding the secrecy of execution protocols.
As South Carolina prepares to carry out its first execution in over a decade, the case of Freddie Eugene Owens highlights the complexities and controversies surrounding the death penalty in the state.
