South Carolina is preparing to execute Brad Sigmon, convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents, by firing squad on Friday evening, the New York Times reported.
According to the state’s execution methods, three volunteer corrections staff members will point rifles at Sigmon’s chest as he is strapped to a chair with a hood over his head. This was entirely Sigmon’s decision, as the Judge let him choose between lethal injection, electrocution or firing squad. Sigmon’s lawyer, Gerald King, said that Sigmon had concerns about South Carolina’s lethal injection process, so he chose to be shot instead.
A lot of the state’s citizens support the death penalty, but they seem to believe the method of execution by firing squad is outdated. If the execution is successfully carried out, Sigmon will be the first inmate killed by firing squad in South Carolina state’s history.
According to the South Carolina Firing Squad Protocol, Sigmon will be strapped to a metal chair, and his lawyer, Mr. King, will read his final statement. Then, a hood will be placed over Sigmon’s head. A small aim point will then be drawn on Sigmon’s chest, where the corrections officers will fire.
The last state to have used a firing squad as a method of execution was Utah in 2010 with the execution of Ronnie Lee Gardner. Gardner was sentenced to the death penalty because of his killing of a man during an attempted escape from a courthouse in 1985. His execution garnered a lot of media attention as the last time it was used before 2010 was 1996, and Sigmon’s execution is sure to garner the same amount of attention again.