Freddie Owens, 46, was put to death by lethal injection at Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina, on Friday evening. This marks the state’s first execution in 13 years. Owens was convicted of murdering Irene Graves, a 41-year-old single mother of three, during an armed robbery in Greenville in 1997.
Owens’ journey to execution was long and complex. Initially, he was sentenced to death in 1999 for murder, armed robbery, and criminal conspiracy. The day after his conviction, Owens killed his cellmate in jail. His lawyers attempted to halt the execution multiple times, citing an affidavit from his co-defendant, Steve Golden, claiming Owens was innocent. However, the court denied these requests, stating the affidavit contradicted Golden’s original testimony ¹.
Governor Henry McMaster denied appeals for clemency from Owens’ mother and advocates against the death penalty. Owens’ mother, Dora Mason, maintained her son’s innocence, stating, “Freddie has maintained his innocence since day one”.
Owens was given the option to choose his method of execution – lethal injection, electric chair, or firing squad – but deferred the decision to his lawyer, who chose lethal injection. Members of Graves’ family witnessed the execution. This execution breaks a 13-year hiatus in South Carolina’s capital punishment, which was largely due to difficulties in obtaining the necessary drugs for lethal injection .
