Brad Sigmon, 67, was shot dead by prison staff despite outcry over ‘cruel’ method and calls for clemencyThe US has conducted its first execution by firing squad in 15 years, with South Carolina prison officials shooting to death Brad Sigmon, 67, on Friday evening, despite widespread concerns about the safety and cruelty of this method.Sigmon was the oldest person to be executed in the state’s history and his death was part of a series of rapid killings the state has pursued in the last six months as it revives capital punishment. There had been growing calls for clemency, but minutes before Sigmon was killed, the state’s Republican governor, Henry McMaster, announced he would not be intervening. Continue reading...
South Carolina carried out its first firing squad execution in 15 years, executing Brad Sigmon, 67, after a 13-year pause due to execution drug shortages. Sigmon chose the firing squad over lethal injection due to concerns about prolonged suffering based on previous executions. His lawyers argued his crimes stemmed from childhood abuse and mental illness, but appeals were denied. Witnesses described the execution, raising safety concerns about the setup. Sigmon expressed remorse and called for an end to the death penalty in his last words. His lawyer criticized the "barbaric" method, while Sigmon's ex-girlfriend and daughter of the victims said he "should answer for what he’s done".
