South Carolina Inmate Chooses Firing Squad for Execution April 11

Mikal Mahdi, a death row inmate in South Carolina, has chosen to be executed by firing squad, scheduled for April 11. This decision comes just weeks after the state conducted its first firing squad execution, making Mahdi the second inmate to face this method in a short period. Convicted in 2006 for the murder of off-duty police officer James Myers in 2004, Mahdi's choice was described by his attorney as 'the lesser of three evils' among the options of lethal injection and the electric chair. Mahdi's legal team is continuing efforts to halt the execution, citing his traumatic childhood and the lack of consideration for these circumstances during sentencing. His execution would mark only the fifth firing squad execution in the U.S. since 1977. Advocates stress the need for mental health support rather than capital punishment, highlighting the failures in Mahdi's early life.