Brad Sigmon Becomes the First U.S. Inmate in 15 Years to be Executed by Firing Squad
A South Carolina man, who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents, became the first U.S. prisoner in 15 years to be executed by firing squad last Friday evening. The execution was chosen over electric chair and lethal injection, which quickly became a controversial decision.
Brad Sigmon, 67, was convicted for the 2001 murders of David and Gladys Larke in their Greenville County home. The crime was part of a plot to kidnap their daughter, which he later admitted was going to kill in a murder-suicide. According to his defense, his actions were reportedly drived by severe mental issues.
Sigmon chose his execution method over fears of a more painful death by other means. With no other viable options, he selected the firing squad, which was a method that had not been used in nearly two decades.
Three prison employees volunteered to carry out the execution, and each one fired a rifle at Sigmon from 15 feet away. A black hood was placed over Sigmon’s head, while a white target with a red bullseye was pinned to his chest over his heart. His death was confirmed just two minutes later, at 6:08 p.m.
In 2021, South Carolina became one of five states to reintroduce the firing squad as a legal method of execution. The state had not executed anyone by this method since 2009, when a similar method was last used in Utah.
In his final meal, Sigmon opted for a traditional Southern meal of four pieces of fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits, cheesecake, and sweet tea. As for his execution, the process was swift and efficient, and witnesses reported a somber atmosphere inside the execution chamber.
While some argue that his crime warranted his punishment, others believed that his mental health issues and the years of rehabilitation should have resulted in a different outcome. Ahead of Sigmon’s execution, a small group of protesters gathered outside the prison holding signs reading, “All life is precious” and “Execute justice, not people.”
Sigmon’s execution, while marking the end of an infamous chapter in South Carolina’s criminal justice history, has reignited many debates of how ethical the death penalty is in America.
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