South Carolina Prepares for First
Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old man who has spent over two decades on death row, is set to be executed by firing squad tonight (March 7), marking the first execution of its kind in South Carolina’s history. With only hours remaining, he has submitted a last-minute clemency plea, seeking intervention from Governor Henry McMaster.
Sigmon was sentenced to death in 2002 for murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents, David and Gladys Larke, in Greenville County. He fatally beat them with a baseball bat before kidnapping his ex-girlfriend, Rebecca Barbre, at gunpoint. Barbre managed to escape his vehicle before further harm. Along with two death sentences, he received 30 years for first-degree burglary. His numerous appeals have all been denied.
His attorney, Bo King, argues the execution should not proceed due to concerns over South Carolina’s lethal injection protocol. Sigmon previously sought information on the drugs’ availability and condition, but officials allegedly failed to clarify whether they were expired or compromised. This uncertainty, King claims, left Sigmon uninformed about his legal rights when choosing an execution method.
