Freddie Owens Execution Set for September 20

Freddie Owens, also known as Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah, is set for execution on September 20 in South Carolina, marking the state's first execution since 2011. Civil rights leaders, including the ACLU and NAACP, have urged Governor Henry McMaster to grant clemency or commute his sentence to life without parole, with a petition already gathering over 3,500 signatures. The South Carolina Supreme Court recently denied Owens' appeal, which argued that prosecutors concealed a deal with a key witness and that his trial was unfairly influenced by security measures. His attorneys emphasize that Owens' youth and mental health issues should mitigate his death sentence, which they deem excessive. Governor McMaster has not indicated whether he will intervene, stating he will make a decision on the day of the execution. Historically, no South Carolina governor has granted clemency to death row inmates since 1976.