South Carolina Executes Serial Killer Stephen Bryant by Firing Squad
South Carolina carried out a rare firing squad execution of serial killer Stephen Bryant, marking one of only six such instances in modern U.S. history, with specific details emerging from the event.
Overview
South Carolina executed serial killer Stephen Bryant by firing squad, a method used only six times in modern U.S. history, highlighting its extreme rarity for capital punishment.
Three prison employees volunteered to form the firing squad, using live ammunition to carry out the execution of Stephen Bryant in South Carolina.
Before the execution, Stephen Bryant briefly looked at 10 witnesses present, after which a hood was placed over his head by the authorities.
During the firing squad execution, a red bullseye target, which had been placed over Stephen Bryant's heart, reportedly flew off his chest.
The execution involved a message written in the victim's blood, adding a grim detail to the rare capital punishment event in South Carolina.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the extreme brutality of the serial killer's crimes and the profound suffering of his victims. They achieve this through detailed descriptions of the gruesome acts and extensive focus on the victim's family's grief, implicitly justifying the execution as a consequence of such depravity.
Sources (3)
FAQ
South Carolina allows inmates to choose between execution by firing squad, electric chair, or lethal injection. Bryant chose the firing squad, making his execution one of only six such cases in modern U.S. history.
Stephen Bryant was convicted of the 2004 fatal shootings of three people in Sumter County, South Carolina, during a series of incidents over eight days, which also included burglary, armed robbery, and arson.
Bryant's lawyers argued that his execution would violate the Eighth Amendment due to intellectual disabilities and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), but these claims were denied by both state and federal courts.
Three prison employees volunteered for the firing squad, using live ammunition. Bryant briefly looked at 10 witnesses before a hood was placed over his head. A red bullseye target over his heart reportedly flew off during the execution, and there was a message written in the victim's blood.
The spree murders shocked the community. Bryant's landlord and workplace supervisor described him as a nice person and were surprised by his arrest, while experts noted his anti-social behavior and poor problem-solving ability.
History
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