South Carolina Execution Botched, Inmate Suffered Prolonged Death

Columbia, South Carolina — Records obtained by the Guardian reveal that Mikal Mahdi suffered a prolonged death during his execution last month due to a botched firing squad execution that failed to hit the intended target area on his heart.

Mahdi, 42, was executed by corrections officials on April 11. According to his attorneys and autopsy records, the shooters missed the heart, causing him to endure pain well beyond the expected 10 to 15 seconds of consciousness.

The lawyers submitted documents to the South Carolina Supreme Court on Thursday, alleging that the execution did not follow proper protocols. Autopsy reports and photographs indicated only two gunshot wounds, instead of the three that were supposed to be delivered to ensure immediate cessation of circulation. Instead, the two bullets struck his pancreas, liver, and lower lung.

Dr. Bradley Marcus, the pathologist who conducted the autopsy, noted two half-inch wounds on Mahdi’s chest. He suggested that three shots might have been fired, yet an independent analysis by Dr. Jonathan Arden, hired by Mahdi’s attorneys, contested this claim, emphasizing that double wounds from one entry are “extraordinarily uncommon.” Arden stated that the bullets’ trajectory seemed downward, indicating they largely missed the heart.

Witnesses reported that Mahdi cried out during the execution and continued to breathe for roughly 80 seconds after the shots. He was declared dead about four minutes post-execution. In contrast, an earlier execution in March resulted in immediate death after shooters successfully struck the heart.

Mahdi’s case raises critical concerns about execution practices after South Carolina recently reinstated firing squads following a 13-year hiatus on executions due to problems obtaining lethal injection drugs. His lawyers claim this case demonstrates a “massive botch” in procedures.

Adding to the confusion, SCDC communications director Chrysti Shain strongly refuted the claims, stating that all bullets hit Mahdi and the autopsy confirmed multiple pathways. However, the Supreme Court previously ruled that firing squads were not “cruel” if the execution was done correctly. Mahdi’s attorneys argue that the execution was a clear example of incompetence.

David Weiss, Mahdi’s lawyer, expressed grave concerns about the execution, stating, “I heard Mikal’s cries of pain and agony, and I don’t want that to happen to somebody else.”

As discussions continue, Mahdi’s death adds fuel to ongoing debates about firing squads, which were presented as a more humane option compared to lethal injections and electric chairs.