South Carolina Death Row Inmate Brad Sigmon’s Execution Postponement Request Denied

Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old South Carolina death row inmate, has had his request to postpone his execution denied. Sigmon is scheduled to be executed on March 7th for the 2001 murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents.

Sigmon’s Execution Request

Sigmon’s attorney’s initially requested a postponement due to the lack of an autopsy report from the last execution in the state, which took place on January 31st. They argued that the report was necessary for Sigmon to make an informed decision about his execution method, as he has the option of lethal injection, firing squad, or electric chair.

Sigmon’s attorneys also expressed concerns about the lethal injection drug used in the state’s previous executions. Witnesses to the three recent executions have reported that the inmates appeared to be conscious and suffering for an extended period after the sedative was administered.

State’s Response

The state Supreme Court initially rejected Sigmon’s request earlier this month. However, his attorneys filed a new motion on Friday, arguing that the situation was now more urgent as the February 21st deadline to choose an execution method approached.

The state responded by certifying that all three execution methods were available. However, Sigmon’s attorneys have not yet received the autopsy report from the January 31st execution. An autopsy was not performed after the September 20th execution due to the inmate’s religious objections.

Autopsy Report Controversy

The release of autopsy reports from executions has been a contentious issue in South Carolina. A defense expert who reviewed the autopsy results of Richard Moore, who was executed in November, reported that fluid found in Moore’s lungs likely caused him to experience a sensation of drowning and suffocation.

However, a state anesthesiologist who also reviewed the autopsy argued that fluid is commonly found in the lungs after lethal injections. They also stated that witness accounts and other evidence indicated that Moore was not conscious beyond 30 seconds after the sedative was injected.

State Secrecy Laws

Prison officials have refused to disclose the reason why Moore needed a second dose of pentobarbital, the sedative used in lethal injections. They have cited a 2023 state law that shields the identities of lethal injection drug providers, execution team members, and execution procedures from public disclosure.

Supreme Court Decision

The South Carolina Supreme Court has not yet ruled on Sigmon’s latest request for a postponement. The court has previously agreed to set executions at least five weeks apart, but Sigmon’s attorneys are seeking an extension of that time frame to 13 weeks.

Background on Executions in South Carolina

South Carolina resumed executions in September 2022 after a 13-year hiatus. The state has executed 46 inmates since the death penalty was reinstated in the United States in 1976. In the early 2000s, the state carried out an average of three executions per year. Only nine states have executed more inmates than South Carolina.