South Carolina executed inmate Freddie Owens on Friday, marking the state’s return to capital punishment after a halt of 13 years due to difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs.
Owens was sentenced to death for the 1997 murder of Irene Graves, a convenience store clerk, during a robbery. His conviction was compounded by another murder, as he killed an inmate while in county jail awaiting trial. His detailed confession to that inmate’s murder was presented to two separate juries, both of which found him deserving of the death penalty.
At 46 years old, Owens was pronounced dead at 6:55 p.m. Upon entering the execution chamber, he was seen strapped to a gurney, with his arms extended. He briefly interacted with his lawyer, then appeared to lose consciousness after taking several deep breaths, with movements ceasing approximately 13 minutes later, following a medical declaration of death.
Despite numerous last-minute appeals, including one to the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied, Owens faced the execution without any reprieve. South Carolina’s Governor Henry McMaster also declined to commute Owens’ sentence, stating he had thoroughly considered the clemency petition but ultimately decided against it, reiterating his belief in the justice system.
Owens was convicted of killing Graves by shooting her in the head when she was unable to open the store’s safe. The state has not pursued charges against him for the inmate murder, though he confessed to the attack in jail, claiming he committed the act due to belief in a wrongful conviction.
The execution marked a significant moment in South Carolina’s history, as it seeks to resume capital punishment after years of legislative hurdles, including the introduction of alternative execution methods such as the firing squad. The state now faces the potential of carrying out executions approximately every five weeks, as several inmates have exhausted their appeals.
Previously, South Carolina had an average of three executions each year in the early 2000s, but the death row population has decreased significantly over the years. As of Friday, there are 32 condemned prisoners left, a far drop from the 63 inmates who were on death row in early 2011. Some inmates have had their sentences overturned, while others have died of natural causes.
In his final legal arguments, Owens’ defense claimed that there was insufficient evidence linking him directly to the murder of Graves, and they presented statements from people asserting he was not present during the crime. However, prosecutors maintained that there were witnesses who testified against him, insisting his guilt was established through credible testimony.