South Carolina death row inmate Mikal Mahdi faced limited options.
With lethal injection plagued by shortages and the electric chair notorious for gruesome failures, he made his choice.
His lawyer called it “the lesser of three evils”—death by firing squad.
Set to be executed on April 11, Mahdi will sit strapped to a chair, a target pinned to his chest, as three prison officers fire their rifles.
The state last used this method just weeks ago, marking a grim return to a practice not seen in the U.S. for over a decade.
Man With A Long Criminal History
Mahdi was convicted of ambushing and killing police officer James Myers in 2004, then setting his body on fire.
His attorneys argue that his trial was rushed and his defense inadequate.
They also claim his past—marked by childhood trauma and prison isolation—was never fully considered.
With a final appeal pending, Mahdi’s last hope rests with Governor Henry McMaster, though history offers little chance of clemency.
The clock is ticking, and South Carolina’s justice system is once again making headlines—for all the wrong reasons.
