{"id":19107,"date":"2021-06-17T17:43:59","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T21:43:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=19107"},"modified":"2021-06-17T17:46:54","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T21:46:54","slug":"south-carolina-court-halts-executions-until-firing-squad-is-available","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2021\/06\/17\/south-carolina-court-halts-executions-until-firing-squad-is-available\/","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina court halts executions until firing squad is available"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A high court in the US state of South Carolina has blocked two executions until the inmates are given the choice of death by electrocution or firing squad.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A new law requires inmates on death row to decide between the two methods if lethal drugs are not available.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But as prison authorities have not yet formed a firing squad, the executions have been halted by the supreme court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Inmates Brad Sigmon and Freddie Owens were due to be executed this month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The convicted murderers were denied lethal injections – their favoured option – because prison authorities did not have the drugs needed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A shortage of these drugs has led to a 10-year pause in this method of execution in the state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The new law, which came into effect last month, was designed to close a loophole that allowed inmates to indefinitely postpone their executions if the drugs were not available.<\/p>\n

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Given the lack of a firing squad, electrocution was the only method of execution available in the state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But lawyers for Sigmon and Owens challenged the use of the method in court, arguing their clients have the right to die by lethal injection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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They petitioned the South Carolina Supreme Court to stop the planned executions of their clients until their appeals had been heard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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