South Carolina Executes First Inmate in 13 Years: Freddie Owens

Overview

After 13 years, an execution has taken place in South Carolina. Freddie Owens, who had been convicted of the murder of a convenience store clerk, was executed on Friday, September 20, 2024. He was 46 years old and had been on death row for nearly three decades.

The Execution

The execution was postponed from its initial scheduled time of 6 p.m., as word from the US Supreme Court was awaited. The permission to proceed was given by the warden at 6:35 p.m. Owens was in a green jumpsuit, lying horizontally with a white blanket up to his chest, with an IV inserted into his arm. Minutes before the execution proceeded, the U.S. Supreme Court denied an emergency stay of execution appeal for Owens, and South Carolina’s governor declined to grant any form of clemency.

Owens did not give any final statement. He was reported to maintain eye contact with his defense attorney, appearing relaxed and without pain. His final words were a barely audible “bye” directed to his attorney. By 6:37 p.m., Owens appeared unconscious. He was confirmed dead by 6:55 p.m. An official from the South Carolina Department of Corrections later announced, “The case of South Carolina against Freddie Owens is complete.”

The Crimes

Owens was 19 years old when he committed a string of robberies on Halloween night in 1997. One of the convenience stores he targeted was where Irene Graves worked. An argument erupted due to Graves’ delayed response in opening the safe, resulting in Owens shooting her in the head. He was convicted of Graves’ murder in 1999. Failing to stop at just that, Owens murdered his cellmate, Christopher Bryan Lee, at the Greenville County Detention Center within 24 hours of his guilty verdict.

Repercussions and Legacy

Members of the victims’ families were present at Owens’ execution, maintaining their gaze on him throughout the process. Owens’ co-defendant on the day of the robbery, Steven Golden, recently submitted an affidavit claiming that Owens was not the one who shot and killed Graves in 1997. Golden was high on drugs when he made this statement and the courts rejected his claim due to contradictions with earlier statements and Owens’ own admissions.

Despite Golden’s last-minute claim and objections from Owens’ legal team, the execution proceeded as planned. Gerald “Bo” King, a member of Owens’ legal team, lamented the culprit’s death, emphasizing his client’s troubled youth and maintained his innocence in the death of Ms. Graves.

Owens’ execution marks the end of a decades-long wait for justice for the victims’ families. However, it also raises pertinent questions about the role of last-minute confessions and the flaws of the legal system.

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