Brad Sigmon, a South Carolina man convicted of a double murder in 2002, died on Friday by firing squad, a rare execution method previously unused by the state. The 67-year-old was the oldest inmate executed by the state and was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m. using .308 Winchester rifles. Sigmon, who was convicted of beating his estranged girlfriend’s parents to death, chose the firing squad after concerns were raised about the previous lethal injection executions in South Carolina that caused prolonged and potentially painful deaths.
Before his execution, Sigmon made a final statement calling for an end to the death penalty based on Christian values. His lawyer described the death as “horrifying and violent” but noted that Sigmon accepted his punishment and admitted his guilt. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster denied Sigmon’s application for clemency, and the U.S. Supreme Court had also rejected an application for a stay of execution.
The return of execution by firing squad has raised concerns about the method’s inhumanity, but some have argued that it is a more humane alternative compared to other methods. Witness accounts from previous firing squad executions described the quickness of death after being shot in the heart. Despite some states adopting the firing squad as a primary execution method, there are ongoing debates about the ethical implications of using this method. Sigmon’s case also highlighted concerns about ensuring that the jury has all relevant information about mental health and traumatic childhood experiences when deciding on a sentence.
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