Freddie Owens was put to death in South Carolina after a 13-year pause in executions due to problems obtaining lethal injection drugs. Convicted of killing a convenience store clerk during a robbery in 1997, Owens was also involved in the killing of another person while on trial. He made no final statement before his execution, choosing two cheeseburgers, french fries, a ribeye steak, chicken wings, soda, and apple pie as his last meal.
After multiple appeals were denied, Owens was executed by lethal injection. South Carolina is planning to carry out more executions, with Owens being the first. The state has reintroduced the firing squad as an execution method due to issues with obtaining lethal injection drugs.
Owens had a troubled history, including brain damage from violence endured during his youth. His lawyers argued that there was no scientific evidence linking him to the murder he was convicted of and that false evidence was presented against him. Despite these claims, he was executed in South Carolina’s death chamber.
The state had not conducted an execution since 2011 and had to pass laws to restart the death penalty. As a result, the death row population in South Carolina has decreased over the years, with several people having their sentences commuted or dying of natural causes. Owens’ execution marks the resumption of the death penalty in the state after many years.
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