South Carolina Resumes Executions After Long Pause
Freddie Owens Executed Following Years of Legal Battles
Columbia, South Carolina – South Carolina executed inmate Freddie Owens on Friday evening, marking the state’s return to capital punishment after an unexpected 13-year hiatus. The pause in executions came about as prison officials struggled to acquire the necessary drugs for lethal injections.
Owens, age 46, was convicted for the 1997 murder of Irene Graves, a convenience store clerk, during a robbery. The case was made more complicated as he had killed another inmate while awaiting trial. His confession to the second murder was presented to juries multiple times, leading to his conviction and death sentence.
At 6:55 PM, Owens was pronounced dead following a series of legal attempts to avoid execution. Just prior to his execution, he mouthed a word to his attorney and appeared to be aware of his surroundings for about a minute before closing his eyes and taking several deep breaths. Over the next few minutes, his breathing became more shallow, and after several twitches, he was declared dead about 13 minutes later by a medical professional.
Clemency Denials and Last-Minute Appeals
Before his execution, Owens had made multiple last-ditch efforts to avoid the death penalty, but all were turned down. His petitions included appeals to federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, both of which were rejected on the day of his execution. In a filing, South Carolina’s governor, Henry McMaster, and the state’s corrections director insisted that there was nothing unique about Owens’ case, leading to a swift denial from the high court.
Owens’ last real chance for clemency was from Governor McMaster, who had stated he would take his time to review the request thoroughly. However, just moments before the execution, McMaster declined to commute Owens’ sentence, citing his trust in the legal process and historical traditions in capital cases.
Background of the Case
Freddie Owens was convicted in 1999 for the murder of Graves, who had been working at the store to support her three children. Prosecutors claimed that Owens shot her in the head when she was unable to open the store’s safe for him. The case took a darker turn when, after his conviction, Owens killed fellow inmate Christopher Lee. His detailed confession about the attack was presented to various jurors and judges, contributing to his death sentence.
After facing two death sentences that were overturned on appeal, Owens remained on death row. He was charged with Lee’s murder, but those charges were dropped, although the prosecution retained the option to reactivate them in the future.
The Future of Executions in South Carolina
With the resumption of executions, Owens may not be the last inmate to be put to death. The South Carolina Supreme Court has paved the way for executions every five weeks and there are currently five other inmates who have exhausted their appeals. This reopening of the death chamber at Broad River Correctional Institution comes after years of legislative changes, including the introduction of the firing squad as a method of execution.
Due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs, South Carolina has shifted to a new execution protocol that uses only the sedative pentobarbital. Previously, executions had involved a combination of drugs, but this switch aligns with federal execution practices. Under state law, condemned inmates now have the option to choose between lethal injection, the firing squad, or the electric chair.
Owens chose to leave the decision on his method of execution to his lawyer, citing his religious beliefs against suicide as the reason for not making the choice himself. South Carolina had not carried out an execution since May 2011, leading to a significant reduction in the state’s death row population, which decreased from 63 inmates in early 2011 to 32 as of now.
As South Carolina presses forward with its capital punishment protocols, the debate over the death penalty continues to stir strong emotions and opinions within the state and across the nation.
