Read Time:1 Minute, 32 Second
Columbia, S.C. — April 11, 2025: On Friday evening, South Carolina executed 42-year-old Mikal Mahdi by firing squad. This marked only the second use of this rare execution method in the state within five weeks, and it was the fifth instance of such an execution in U.S. history since 1976.
Mahdi, who was convicted of killing an off-duty police officer in 2004, refused to make a final statement and did not acknowledge the nine witnesses present as the curtain opened. He cried out as three bullets hit him in the heart, his arms briefly tensed, and he moaned before falling silent. A white target with a red bullseye had been placed over his chest before the shots. A doctor declared him dead at 6:05 p.m., less than four minutes after the execution began.
Mahdi chose the firing squad over the lethal injection or the electric chair. South Carolina resumed executions last year after a 13-year pause due to legal and logistical challenges in obtaining lethal injection drugs. Lawmakers have defended the firing squad as a swift and humane option.
Mahdi admitted to killing Orangeburg Public Safety Officer James Myers, shooting him multiple times and burning his body. Myers’ wife later discovered the remains in their backyard shed. Mahdi was also convicted of murdering North Carolina convenience store clerk Christopher Boggs days earlier.
Defense attorneys argued Mahdi’s life was shaped by neglect and trauma, claiming his original legal representation failed to properly present mitigating evidence. Prosecutors highlighted his violent history, including attacks on prison staff and escape attempts.
Mahdi was the 12th person executed in the U.S. this year. His death follows Alabama and Louisiana’s use of nitrogen gas and several lethal injections in other states, underscoring the ongoing debate over execution methods across the country.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0
Average Rating