A South Carolina death row inmate set to be executed by firing squad on Friday (March 7) has made a final plea for his life.
Brad Sigmon, 67, was sentenced to death in 2002 for the brutal double murder of his ex-girlfriend Rebecca Barbre’s parents in Greenville County. According to CBS, he beat them to death with a baseball bat in their home before kidnapping Barbre at gunpoint. She managed to escape his car as he attempted to shoot her.
In addition to receiving two death sentences, Sigmon was handed a 30-year prison term for first-degree burglary. Over the years, he has filed multiple appeals to overturn his conviction, all of which have been denied. His last hope now rests on South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster intervening in the final hours.
Sigmon’s attorney, Bo King, argues that his client was not provided crucial information about the lethal injection process when it was still an option. “He wanted to know whether the drugs had expired, been diluted, or spoiled, but none of those facts were disclosed despite his repeated requests,” King told WYFF4.
Sigmon is set to make history as the first U.S. prisoner to be executed by firing squad in 15 years. According to the New York Post, he will be strapped to a chair in the execution chamber, a hood placed over his head, and a target positioned over his heart. Three volunteer executioners will fire at him from behind a small opening 15 feet away.
South Carolina allows death row inmates to choose their method of execution: the electric chair, lethal injection, or firing squad.
As the scheduled execution nears, King contends that Sigmon should not have received the death penalty, citing mental illness at the time of the crime. “The death penalty is intended for the worst of the worst. Given the evidence that Brad was experiencing a psychotic break and was not competent at trial, we believe that argues against imposing this sentence,” King stated.
Before his execution, Sigmon reportedly requested three buckets of KFC for his last meal, opting to share it with fellow death row inmates, according to his attorney.
