South Carolina is gearing up for another execution, marking the third inmate to be put to death since September. Marion Bowman Jr. is scheduled for execution on Friday at a Columbia prison. Convicted of murder in the shooting death of a friend whose burned body was found in a car trunk, Bowman has consistently maintained his innocence.
Throughout his legal battle, Bowman has stood by his claim of innocence, stating that he was wrongly convicted based on testimonies from friends and relatives who received deals in exchange for their statements. Despite being offered a plea deal for a life sentence, Bowman chose to go to trial to prove his innocence.
The impending execution comes after a 13-year pause in executions in South Carolina due to the unavailability of lethal injection drugs. The state recently passed a shield law allowing for the procurement of the necessary drugs from a compounding pharmacy, with the condition that the supplier’s identity remains confidential.
Not seeking clemency from Gov. Henry McMaster, Bowman’s lawyer, Lindsey Vann, expressed his client’s refusal to spend more time in prison for a crime he did not commit. Vann highlighted the injustices faced by Bowman over the past two decades and praised his decision to reject a broken system.
Notably, Bowman’s case has raised concerns about the fairness of his trial, with his lawyers arguing that his trial attorney showed bias towards the victim. However, the South Carolina Supreme Court dismissed this claim as meritless.
Another issue raised by Bowman’s legal team is his weight, as he is listed at 389 pounds in prison records. An anesthesiologist expressed concerns about the state’s lethal injection protocols not accounting for Bowman’s weight, which could impact the administration of the drugs during the execution.
South Carolina’s recent executions mark a departure from the state’s previous hiatus in carrying out death sentences. With the resumption of executions, the state aims to address a backlog of inmates who have exhausted their appeals. The court has scheduled an execution every five weeks until all eligible inmates are put to death.
Despite the recent uptick in executions, South Carolina’s death row population has decreased significantly over the years. Successful appeals and natural causes have contributed to the reduction in the number of condemned inmates, reflecting a shifting landscape of capital punishment in the state.
