South Carolina is set to move forward with the execution of Freddie Owens on Friday, marking the first death row execution in the state in 13 years. Owens, 46, was convicted in the 1997 killing of convenience store clerk Irene Graves and is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection.
Owens' attorneys filed for a stay of execution with the US Supreme Court, citing concerns over due process violations related to the lack of information provided about the lethal injection drugs and the execution team's qualifications.
Despite the appeal, the state's supreme court declined to halt the execution, and Owens has also requested clemency from Governor Henry McMaster.
If clemency is not granted and the US Supreme Court rejects the appeal, Owens will be the first person in South Carolina to be executed by lethal injection since the state resolved its supply issues with the required medication.
The case dates back to November 1, 1997, when Graves, a mother of three, was shot and killed during a robbery at a store in Greenville. Owens, who was 19 at the time, was convicted of murder, armed robbery, and criminal conspiracy two years later.
Notably, Owens confessed to killing a cellmate in 1999 while awaiting sentencing after his conviction for Graves' murder.
Despite a recent affidavit from his co-defendant claiming Owens was not present during the robbery and killing, the South Carolina Supreme Court has twice refused to halt the execution. The court cited inconsistencies with previous testimonies and confessions made by Owens.
Owens was given the choice between lethal injection, the electric chair, and firing squad but granted his attorney the power to decide, who ultimately chose lethal injection as the method of execution.
The decision on clemency is expected to be announced by Governor McMaster shortly before Owens' scheduled execution time.
