SC Halts Executions Pending New Timeframe Ruling

The South Carolina Supreme Court is pausing further executions while it decides how to space them out. Despite the postponement, Freddie Eugene Owens remains scheduled for execution on September 20, marking the state's first execution in over 13 years. But the state Supreme Court has decided to consider a request from four other death row inmates who are seeking a minimum three-month interval between each execution to prevent potential errors and placing undue burden on prison staff.

Lawyers for the inmates argue that rapid successive executions, which have to potential to happen as close as a week apart, could lead to mistakes. Attorney Lindsey Vann added that it rushes lawyers who are juggling multiple death row clients.

Freddie Eugene Owens, 46, has until the end of next week to choose his method of execution: lethal injection, electrocution, or firing squad. His lawyers say that decision won't be made until prison officials provide a sworn statement about the quality of the lethal injection drug they plan to use. The state's last execution was in 2011; South Carolina currently houses 32 inmates on death row. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)