COLUMBIA, S.C. — Stephen Bryant, a 44-year-old man condemned for killing three individuals in South Carolina in 2004, was executed on Friday by firing squad. This marks the third execution by this method in the state within the year, highlighting the controversial nature of capital punishment.
The execution took place at 6:05 p.m. with three prison employees volunteering to carry out the shooting. Bryant, who opted for the firing squad over lethal injection or the electric chair, did not make a final statement before the execution commenced.
Witnesses reported hearing the gunfire, and a doctor pronounced him dead shortly after. This marks Bryant as the seventh individual to be executed since South Carolina resumed executions last year, following a significant pause due to lethal injection drug shortages.
Governor Henry McMaster denied clemency for Bryant, adhering to a longstanding trend where no South Carolina governor has offered clemency since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
In his final meal, Bryant requested spicy mixed seafood stir-fry, fried fish over rice, and German chocolate cake among other dishes. His defense attorney noted Bryant's traumatic past, including a genetic disorder and a childhood marred by abuse, calling for reflection on his circumstances surrounding his violent actions.
While some view the firing squad as a swift and humane method of execution, it carries a dark history, previously associated with military punishment and repressive regimes. The recent trend towards firing squads in the U.S. stems from challenges in acquiring lethal injection drugs, urging states, including South Carolina, to utilize alternative execution methods.
As the debates on the morality and efficacy of capital punishment continue, Bryant's execution reignites discussions on both the treatment of mentally impaired individuals and the broader implications of reinstating the firing squad as a legal execution method.
