A South Carolina death row inmate, Richard Moore, is facing a critical decision as he must choose between a firing squad, lethal injection, and the electric chair for his scheduled execution on Nov. 1. Moore, 59, was convicted of the murder of convenience store worker James Mahoney in Spartanburg, South Carolina, back in September 1999.
In 2001, Moore was found guilty of murder, aggravated assault with the intent to kill, armed robbery, and a violation involving a handgun. He now has until Oct. 18 to make his decision on how he wishes to end his life. Failure to choose will result in him being electrocuted.
Prison officials have informed Moore that the state's electric chair, which dates back to 1912, has been tested and is in working order. South Carolina has transitioned from using a mix of three drugs for lethal injections to a single drug, the sedative pentobarbital.
The firing squad method, which has been allowed in South Carolina since 2021, is another option available to Moore. Only a few other states, including Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, and Idaho, permit the use of a firing squad for executions.
South Carolina Corrections Director Bryan Stirling stated that three volunteers have been trained and equipped with the necessary ammunition if Moore opts for the firing squad method. These volunteers have been trained to aim at a target placed in the heart from a distance of 15 feet (4.6 meters).
Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in the U.S. in 1976, South Carolina has executed 44 inmates. In the early 2000s, the state was carrying out an average of three executions per year. Moore is planning to appeal to Republican Governor Henry McMaster for clemency and a reduction of his sentence to life without parole, although no South Carolina governor has ever granted such a request.
