South Carolina Prepares for First
Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old man who has spent over two decades on death row, is scheduled to face execution by firing squad tonight, March 7. This execution marks a historic moment in South Carolina’s legal history, as it will be the first execution by firing squad ever carried out in the state. As the hours tick down to his execution, Sigmon has made a last-minute appeal for clemency, urging Governor Henry McMaster to intervene and spare his life.
Sigmon’s conviction dates back to 2002, when he was found guilty of a heinous double murder in Greenville County, South Carolina. The victims, David and Gladys Larke, were the parents of Sigmon’s ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Barbre. In a shocking act of violence, Sigmon beat the couple to death with a baseball bat in their own home. The brutality of the crime sent shockwaves through the community, and Sigmon’s actions that day would lead to his conviction on two counts of murder. But the horrors didn’t end there—after killing the Larkes, Sigmon proceeded to kidnap Rebecca Barbre, taking her at gunpoint in an attempt to further harm her. However, in a courageous act of defiance, Barbre managed to escape from Sigmon’s clutches, fleeing from his vehicle before he could inflict any more violence upon her.
Sigmon’s violent actions led to a swift trial, and he was sentenced to death by the state of South Carolina in 2002. Over the years, his case has remained a subject of legal debates, with appeals for his conviction and sentence being rejected, while his time on death row stretched on for over two decades. As time passed, questions about the fairness of his trial, his mental state, and the appropriateness of his sentence have continued to surface, yet no intervention has been granted to prevent his execution.
Now, as his scheduled execution approaches, Sigmon has made one final plea for clemency. In his last-ditch effort to avoid the firing squad, Sigmon has called upon Governor McMaster to reconsider his case, hoping that the state’s leaders will show mercy and grant him a reprieve. His appeal, however, comes just hours before the execution, leaving little time for any legal maneuvering or intervention.
The use of the firing squad as a method of execution is a relatively rare and controversial practice, and its adoption in South Carolina is a significant moment in the history of capital punishment in the United States. The state passed a law in 2021 allowing the firing squad as a method of execution after a shortage of lethal injection drugs made it difficult to carry out executions by the traditional means. This method, which involves a group of marksmen firing at the condemned individual, has drawn both strong support and vocal opposition from various quarters, with critics questioning its humanity and effectiveness.
As Sigmon’s execution looms, it has become a focal point for discussions on the death penalty, justice, and the role of clemency in cases involving individuals who have spent many years on death row. For Sigmon, the final hours before his execution are filled with uncertainty and the hope, albeit slim, that his life might be spared by an act of mercy from the state’s leadership. Whether his plea for clemency will be granted remains to be seen, but for now, Sigmon’s fate rests in the hands of the governor and the state of South Carolina, as a historic moment in the state’s legal system draws near.