South Carolina: methods of execution breach human rights

Brad Sigmon, a South Carolina inmate on death row, is to be executed by firing squad, a recent article reports.

 Brad Sigmon has chosen death by firing squad, rather than other methods such as electrocution and lethal injection because he held concerns about the effectiveness of the other two methods.

Brad will be the first person to be executed by firing squad in the US since 2010. Brad was convicted of murder in 2001, however his lawyers said he suffered organic brain injuries, manic episodes and was experiencing a psychotic break that rendered him incompetent to stand trial. His legal team have argued that his trial counsel failed him and the jury “had no idea of how severely compromised his mental health was.” You can read Brad’s story here.

South Carolina constructed its firing squad area in 2022 as suppliers refused to provide prison officials with lethal chemicals required for death by injection. There has been a lack of information about executions using lethal injections with pentobarbital. This follows after three men were declared dead 20 minutes after being given the lethal injection.  

There has been widespread criticism on the lack of transparency and how the lack of disclosure of this information “silences the scientists, doctors, journalists, former correctional officials, lawyers, and citizens who have scrutinized the safety, efficacy, morality, and legality of South Carolina's use of lethal injection."

In making his decision as to what method to be executed, and choosing the firing squad over the other methods, Brad has told his lawyers that he “does not wish to inflict that pain on his family, the witnesses, or the execution team. But, given South Carolina's unnecessary and unconscionable secrecy, he is choosing as best he can."

The UN have maintained that the infliction of the death penalty is difficult to reconcile with human dignity, fundamental right to life, and the right to live free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

 As such, these methods implemented by South Carolina, continue to breach the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, namely, Article 7 that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.