Judge Rules Gov. McMaster Can Grant Clemency

A federal judge ruled that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster retains the exclusive authority to grant clemency for death row inmate Richard Moore, scheduled for execution on November 1. Moore's attorneys argued that McMaster's past role as attorney general, where he fought Moore's appeals, compromised his ability to make an impartial decision on clemency. Judge Mary Geiger Lewis dismissed these concerns, emphasizing McMaster's sworn commitment to uphold the law and stating that prior service as attorney general does not disqualify him from ruling on clemency. Moore's legal team plans to appeal the decision, insisting that McMaster's previous statements indicated a bias against granting clemency. The judge noted that McMaster's remarks were made before Moore filed for clemency, which underlined the necessity for the governor to evaluate the case based on existing legal proceedings. Moore, convicted of murdering a gas station clerk in 1999, has exhausted all appeals and is facing lethal injection next week.