South Carolina Inmate Executed by Firing Squad, First in 15 Years

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Stephen Bryant, 44, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at 6 p.m. Friday at Broad River Correctional Institution, marking the first execution of this kind in the U.S. in 15 years.

Bryant’s execution makes him the third person to die by firing squad in South Carolina this year. He was convicted of killing Willard “TJ” Tietjen and two other men over the span of five days in October 2004.

Authorities say Bryant admitted to killing Tietjen in his home, inflicting severe physical harm before taunting law enforcement. During the commission of his crimes, he left messages written in Tietjen’s blood, including “Catch me if you can.” These murders instigated a five-day manhunt in Sumter County.

Bryant’s execution method raises renewed concerns about the firing squad, which has been described by some advocates as a “barbaric” practice. Despite this, South Carolina lawmakers reinstated the firing squad following challenges in obtaining lethal injection drugs, causing a temporary halt to executions for 13 years. The state resumed executions last September.

Three prison employees have volunteered to carry out Bryant’s sentence by shooting him from a distance of 15 feet. Bryant has no pending appeals, and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has declined to grant clemency.

In previous instances, the firing squad has faced scrutiny due to concerns over its humanity, especially after reported complications in other executions. Advocates for Bryant argue that the sentencing judge may not have fully considered his troubled upbringing, which included severe abuse, when determining his death sentence.

Bryant’s lawyers previously cited a lack of investigation into potential fetal alcohol spectrum disorder that they claim affected his judgment. However, the South Carolina Supreme Court recently upheld the decision for execution, indicating that the nature of his crimes demonstrated calculated behavior.

As the execution time approaches, Bryant can make a final request for clemency, though historically, no governor in the state has granted such a request since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.