The execution began at 6:35 pm (ET), and at 6:53 pm, a doctor checked for Owens’ pulse and pronounced him dead at 6:55 pm, according to state officials.Owens, dressed in a green jumpsuit, had an IV in his arm. He declined to make a final statement but mouthed words to his attorney and said “bye” in his final moment of consciousness, according to a Fox news report. Family members of the victim, Irene Graves, were present during the procedure.
Owens was executed using a single drug, pentobarbital, which South Carolina obtained under a shield law passed in 2023 that protects the identities of those involved in execution planning and implementation.
His final meal included cheeseburgers, a ribeye steak, wings, french fries, strawberry sodas, and apple pie.
An official, as quoted by Fox News, said, “The case of South Carolina against Freddie Owens is complete.”
The Supreme Court denied Owens’ emergency appeal for a stay of execution, and governor Henry McMaster refused mercy on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, the state Supreme Court rejected a new affidavit from Owens’ co-defendant, Steven Golden, who claimed Owens was not present during the robbery and killing. This affidavit contradicted Golden’s previous testimonies and statements to law enforcement.
Lawyers of Owens sought a stay of execution, citing due process violations, arguing that he was not provided information about the lethal injection drugs or the qualifications of the execution team.
Owens’ execution was the first lethal injection carried out by South Carolina since the state regained access to the necessary drugs after nearly a decade of supply shortages.
Owens was 19 when he killed Graves during a robbery on Halloween night in 1997. He was convicted in 1999, and during the 24-hour period before sentencing, he killed his cellmate, Christopher Bryan Lee.
Owens had confessed to the murder of Graves to several individuals, including law enforcement officers and his girlfriend. He was given the option of choosing between lethal injection, the electric chair, and a firing squad, but his attorney, Emily Paavola, selected lethal injection on his behalf.
Attorney Gerald “Bo” King called Owens’ death “a tragedy” and maintained that Owens did not kill Graves. King added, as quoted by CNN, “The legal errors, hidden deals, and false evidence that made tonight possible should shame us all.”
Owens’ execution was initially scheduled for June 2021 but was delayed due to issues with South Carolina’s execution protocols. This year, 14 people in the US have been executed, all but one by lethal injection.