South Carolina to execute Marion Bowman amid innocence claims

Marion Bowman Jr., a 44-year-old inmate in South Carolina, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection for the 2001 murder of Kandee Martin, a crime he has consistently denied committing. Despite spending over two decades on death row, Bowman, who declined to seek clemency, maintains that he was wrongfully convicted, citing ineffective legal representation and racial bias as key issues during his trial. The prosecution's case relied heavily on witness testimonies from individuals who received plea deals, raising concerns about their credibility. Bowman's attorney, Lindsey Vann, has called for intervention, highlighting that critical evidence was withheld and questioning the integrity of the conviction. The execution, set for February 1, 2025, marks the first in South Carolina this year and comes at a time when the state is resuming capital punishment after a 13-year pause. As protests against capital punishment and wrongful convictions grow, Bowman's case has ignited discussions about systemic issues within the death penalty framework.