South Carolina made headlines this week as they carried out their first firing squad execution in 15 years. The condemned man, Brad Sigmon, convicted of a brutal double murder in 2001, chose this method over lethal injection amid ongoing controversy about execution practices.
At a glance:
• Brad Sigmon was executed by firing squad in South Carolina, the first such execution in the U.S. in 15 years
• Sigmon was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 2001 during a failed kidnapping attempt
• He chose firing squad over electric chair or lethal injection, citing concerns about those methods
• The execution was carried out by three volunteer prison employees using rifles
• South Carolina has resumed executions after a 13-year pause due to difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs
Justice Finally Served
Brad Sigmon, who brutally murdered his ex-girlfriend’s parents over two decades ago, finally faced justice through execution by firing squad in South Carolina. After exhausting numerous appeals and legal challenges, Sigmon’s execution marks a significant moment as the state resumes carrying out death penalty sentences after a 13-year hiatus.
Governor Henry McMaster and the U.S. Supreme Court both denied last-minute requests to stay the execution, allowing justice to be served for the victims’ family. The execution was witnessed by family members of Sigmon’s victims, who watched from behind bullet-resistant glass as the convicted killer paid the ultimate price for his crimes.
Method of Execution Chosen by Inmate
Sigmon personally selected the firing squad over other available methods, including lethal injection and the electric chair. His lawyers claimed he feared lethal injection might “cook him alive” and had concerns about the electric chair as well, leading him to choose what some consider a more straightforward method.
Three volunteer prison employees carried out the execution using rifles, with Sigmon strapped to a chair and a hood placed over his head. The firing squad method has historically been used in the United States, though since 1977, only three other U.S. prisoners have been executed this way, all in Utah.
South Carolina Resumes Executions
South Carolina has resumed carrying out death sentences after a 13-year pause caused by difficulties in obtaining lethal injection drugs. The state currently has 28 inmates on death row and plans to conduct executions approximately every five weeks.
Sigmon’s execution is the third carried out by South Carolina since resuming the practice in 2024. His final meal included fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, biscuits, cheesecake, and sweet tea.
Gerald “Bo” King, Sigmon’s lawyer, noted that the condemned man “used his final statement to call on his fellow people of faith to end the death penalty and spare the lives of the 28 men still locked up on South Carolina’s death row.”
Protesters gathered outside the prison advocating against capital punishment, but their efforts did not sway state officials who were determined to carry out the sentence. The resumption of executions in South Carolina represents a significant development in the ongoing national debate about appropriate punishment for the most heinous crimes committed against Americans.
