South Carolina Inmate Chooses Firing Squad Execution

Mikal Mahdi, a South Carolina death row inmate, has chosen to be executed by firing squad on April 11, following the state's recent resumption of this controversial method. Mahdi, convicted of killing police officer James Myers in 2004, opted for the firing squad over lethal injection and electrocution, which his lawyer described as 'the lesser of three evils.' His decision comes just weeks after Brad Sigmon became the first inmate executed by firing squad in the U.S. in 15 years. Mahdi's legal team claims that his trial was rushed and that his difficult past was not adequately considered. Despite a pending final appeal, prospects for clemency appear slim. The firing squad, having not been used in South Carolina for over a decade, is noted for its rarity and the distressing nature of the choices facing death row inmates.