Man chooses death by firing squad in first US execution of its kind in 15 years
World, Trending: Brad Sigmon, 67, is scheduled to be put to death on 7 March as part of South Carolina’s recent push to resume executions after a 13-year pause.
A South Carolina death row inmate has chosen to be executed by a firing squad, marking what could be the first execution by gunfire in the United States in 15 years.
Brad Sigmon, 67, is scheduled to be put to death on 7 March as part of South Carolina’s recent push to resume executions after a 13-year pause. The state now requires death row inmates to choose between the electric chair, lethal injection, or firing squad. If they refuse to choose, electrocution becomes the default method.
Who is Brad Sigmon?
Sigmon was convicted in 2001 for the brutal murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents. He admitted his guilt in court. His legal team has argued that his actions were linked to severe mental illness, childhood abuse, and brain injuries that were never properly diagnosed or treated. They recently filed a petition to halt his execution, arguing that his trial attorneys failed to present crucial evidence about his mental state.
“This was a horrible crime that resulted from a mix of mental illness and brain injuries that worsened his manic and irrational episodes,” said his lawyer, Gerald “Bo” King. “Brad is deeply remorseful, a devout Christian who spends much of his time in prayer and penitence.”
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King criticised the execution methods available to Sigmon, arguing that his client was not making an informed decision.
“He has a right to this choice, but it’s not an informed choice. My frustration is we are in a world where he has to choose between being electrocuted, poisoned or shot, and we can’t even get the most basic facts you would want to make that decision,” King said.
Sigmon’s attorneys raised concerns about South Carolina’s lethal injection process, pointing out that the state has refused to provide details about the quality and reliability of its drugs. The last three executions by lethal injection in the state reportedly took over 20 minutes, with one inmate appearing to suffer a condition similar to drowning and suffocation.
“You have three executions that have seemingly gone awry,” King said, adding that lethal injections could be “excruciatingly painful.”
South Carolina’s execution methods
South Carolina halted executions in 2011 due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs after pharmaceutical companies stopped supplying them for use in capital punishment. However, in 2023, lawmakers passed a bill to keep drug suppliers’ identities secret, allowing the state to restock and resume executions.
Five states currently allow firing squads. The last execution by firing squad in the US took place in Utah in 2010.
Sigmon would be the oldest person ever executed in South Carolina. His lawyer, King, condemned the decision to proceed with the execution, saying, “Executing Brad would serve no purpose except to send a single, chilling message: no matter how profoundly a person repents, South Carolina refuses to recognise redemption.”
(With inputs from agencies)
