South Carolina’s latest execution by firing squad has reignited debates over capital punishment. Brad Sigmon, convicted of a brutal double murder, became the first person executed by this method in the United States in over a decade.
At a glance:
• Brad Sigmon was executed by firing squad in South Carolina for murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001
• This was the first U.S. execution by firing squad in 15 years
• Sigmon chose the firing squad over electric chair or lethal injection
• The execution was carried out by three volunteer prison employees using rifles
• South Carolina resumed executions after a 13-year pause due to difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs
Justice Served After Brutal Murders
Brad Sigmon met his fate Friday after murdering David and Gladys Larke in their South Carolina home in 2001. The execution marked the end of a 23-year journey through the justice system for a man who bludgeoned his victims with a baseball bat during a failed kidnapping attempt of his ex-girlfriend.
Sigmon chose the firing squad over lethal injection and electric chair, believing it would be less painful than alternatives he feared might “cook him alive.” His execution came after both the U.S. Supreme Court and South Carolina’s highest court rejected last-minute appeals to halt the procedure.
Execution Details and Witness Accounts
Three volunteer prison employees carried out the execution using rifles, with the inmate strapped to a chair and a hood placed over his head. Family members of the victims, Sigmon’s attorney, his spiritual advisor, and media representatives witnessed the execution from behind bullet-resistant glass.
For his last meal, Sigmon requested fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuits, cheesecake, and sweet tea. The condemned man used his final statement to call on fellow Christians to oppose the death penalty, according to his attorney Gerald “Bo” King.
Republican Governor Henry McMaster denied clemency despite pleas from supporters citing Sigmon’s mental illness and model behavior during his decades in prison. The Governor’s decision upheld the jury’s original verdict and maintained South Carolina’s commitment to carrying out lawful sentences.
Capital Punishment Revival in South Carolina
South Carolina has resumed executions after a 13-year hiatus caused by difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs. The state modified its execution protocols in 2021, making the electric chair the default method while allowing inmates to choose lethal injection or firing squad if available.
Since 1977, only three other U.S. prisoners have been executed by firing squad, all in Utah. South Carolina officials have indicated plans to conduct executions every five weeks, with 28 inmates currently awaiting their fate on death row.
