A South Carolina death row inmate has until September 6 to choose his preferred method of execution, as the state prepares for its first execution in over 13 years. Freddie Owens, 46, who was convicted in 1999 for the murder of Irene Graves during a 1997 robbery, is scheduled to be executed on September 20. Owens must decide between lethal injection, electrocution, or firing squad—three methods certified as available by the state's corrections department.
South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling confirmed the availability of all three execution methods in a sworn statement submitted to the state supreme court, following a court order. Stirling revealed that the state has a supply of the sedative pentobarbital for lethal injections, tested its electric chair in June, and has trained firing squad personnel ready to execute.
Owens has authorized his lawyer, Emily Paavola, to make the final decision on his execution method, a move now under review by the state supreme court to determine its legality. The statement from Stirling is being scrutinized by Owens’s legal team, who may challenge the adequacy of the preparations in state or federal court.
Stirling’s statement noted that South Carolina’s 1912-built electric chair was tested and found operational, and that the firing squad has the necessary equipment and training. The firing squad method, approved by a 2021 law, involves three volunteers firing at a target placed over the inmate’s heart from 15 feet away. Details about the drugs used in lethal injection remain under wraps due to a state shield law protecting suppliers' identities.
Governor Henry McMaster, who has the power to grant clemency, has not indicated any intention to intervene, stating he would make his decision only minutes before the execution if contacted by prison officials. “When the rule of law has been followed, there really is only one answer,” McMaster remarked.
The pending execution has sparked renewed debate over the death penalty in South Carolina. Hillary Taylor, executive director of South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, criticized the state's approach, arguing that executing Owens fails to address deeper issues. “Justice would actually be making sure that we interrupt and prevent violence from happening in the first place, not execute somebody who’s been on death row for decades,” Taylor said.
Taylor’s organization has launched a clemency petition for Owens, who legally changed his name to Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah while in prison. The petition, which has collected over 1,300 signatures, argues that Owens's traumatic upbringing and failures in the judicial system should be considered in his case. “Khalil should not be executed for things that are our fault as a society,” Taylor added.
The South Carolina ACLU has also condemned the planned execution, highlighting the secrecy surrounding execution procedures and criticizing the state’s refusal to allow media access to death row inmates. “The state is preparing to kill one of our neighbors under a shroud of secrecy,” said Jace Woodrum, executive director of the South Carolina ACLU. “We are joining faith leaders, civil rights leaders, and people of good conscience around our state calling on Governor McMaster to stop this execution and all others.”
The case has reignited a broader conversation about the death penalty in South Carolina, especially in the context of the state’s stance on other issues, such as its restrictive abortion laws. As Owens's execution date approaches, advocates continue to push for clemency, arguing that true justice would prioritize prevention and rehabilitation over capital punishment.
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