South Carolina Prepares for First Firing Squad Execution in State History
South Carolina is set to carry out its first execution by firing squad on Friday, marking the first use of the method in the United States in nearly 15 years. The condemned man, 67-year-old Brad Sigmon, was convicted of the brutal 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents in Greenville County. After the killings, Sigmon kidnapped his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint, though she later managed to escape.
Sigmon selected execution by firing squad over the state’s two other approved methods: lethal injection and the electric chair. His attorneys argue that he faced an “impossible” choice between what they describe as inhumane and outdated execution methods.
Legal Challenges and Appeals
Sigmon’s legal team has fought vigorously to halt the execution, filing multiple appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court and a clemency petition to South Carolina’s Republican Governor Henry McMaster. His attorneys argue that the execution should be stayed due to concerns over the state’s procedures, particularly regarding the availability and transparency of lethal injection drugs.
“If he chose lethal injection, he risked the prolonged death suffered by all three of the men South Carolina has executed since September,” said Sigmon’s attorney, Gerald “Bo” King. “The only choice that remained is the firing squad.”
Governor McMaster’s office confirmed receipt of the clemency petition but has not indicated whether he will intervene.
The Firing Squad Protocol
Sigmon’s execution is scheduled to take place at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia. According to state protocol, he will be strapped into a chair in the death chamber, wearing a prison-issued uniform. A hood will be placed over his head, and a target will be affixed over his heart. Three executioners—volunteers from the South Carolina Department of Corrections—will fire simultaneously from 15 feet away using .308 Winchester TAP Urban bullets.
“The firing squad is thought to cause nearly instant unconsciousness, followed by rapid blood loss and death,” said Dr. Jonathan Groner, a professor of clinical surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
After the shots are fired, a medical professional will confirm Sigmon’s death before witnesses are escorted from the chamber.
A Rare and Controversial Method
Firing squad executions have been rare in the United States, with only three such executions occurring since 1977—all in Utah. The last, in 2010, was the execution of Ronnie Gardner.
South Carolina revived the firing squad option in 2021 after passing a law naming the electric chair as the state’s primary execution method. The law was introduced amid difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs, a problem that has led other states to reconsider alternative execution methods.
Five states—South Carolina, Utah, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Idaho—currently allow firing squad executions under specific circumstances. Idaho recently passed a bill that could make the method its primary form of execution, pending the governor’s signature.
Public Debate and the Future of the Death Penalty
Sigmon’s execution has reignited debate over the death penalty and execution methods in the U.S. Critics argue that resorting to firing squads signals a regression to more brutal forms of capital punishment, while supporters claim it is a necessary solution to ongoing lethal injection drug shortages.
“States are looking for a way to carry out executions that appears as peaceful as possible, but it’s not,” said Robert Dunham of the Death Penalty Policy Project. “And when they can’t do that, they will blow a hole in a prisoner with rifles to carry them out.”
With 28 inmates still on death row in South Carolina, Sigmon’s execution may set a precedent for future cases, potentially ushering in more frequent use of the firing squad in the state. As legal battles continue, the controversy surrounding capital punishment in America remains far from settled.
