Convicted double murderer executed by firing squad in South Carolina
FOX NewsMAR 19
South Carolina Conducts First US Firing Squad Execution in 15 Years
Above: The death chamber at Broad River Correctional Facility in South Carolina, US. Image copyright: Eric Seals/The State/Tribune News Service/Contributor via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The firing squad execution is a barbaric relic that should be abolished. Forcing a man like Brad Sigmon to choose his death — electric chair, lethal injection, or bullets — is evil, stripping him of dignity in his final moments. Lethal injection, while imperfect, offers a less violent, more humane alternative, sparing witnesses the trauma of blood splatter and rifle cracks etched in their memory.
Narrative B
Allowing a man to choose his execution method offers honor and dignity, respecting his final agency. Even Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, who's no ardent death penalty supporter, notes its near-instant, painless nature, contrasting with lethal injection's history of botched, torturous failures — burning eyes and prolonged agony. The firing squad, chosen freely, aligns with humane self-defense, not barbarism.
Narrative C
Every modern execution method — firing squad, lethal injection, and electric chair — is inherently cruel, marred by botched attempts and gruesome outcomes. South Carolina's firing squad revival for Brad Sigmon drags the US backward, echoing a brutal past of burning flesh and slow deaths. Instead of refining killing, we should seek alternatives, as history proves no method escapes cruelty's stain.
Narrative D
The death penalty isn't about coddling killers but deterring heinous crimes — a benefit proven by countless studies on the matter, with each execution preventing multiple murders. Despite this, anti-death penalty activists complain about whether lethal injections are FDA-approved, essentially prioritizing the feelings of murderers over victims. Justice demands deterrence, not sympathy for those who prey on the innocent.