South Carolina court denies Mikal Mahdi's last appeal before execution

In South Carolina, the state's highest court has rejected the final appeal of Mikal Mahdi, who was convicted for the ambush killing of off-duty police officer James Myers in 2004. Mahdi, 41, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad after his lawyers argued that prior legal representation was inadequate, citing that character witnesses and the effects of Mahdi's teenage solitary confinement were not considered during the original trial. Mahdi was criminally charged with shooting Myers multiple times before setting fire to his remains. The execution of Mahdi will mark the fifth execution in South Carolina in less than eight months. Each of the condemned individuals, including Mahdi, sought final appeals which were uniformly denied by the state Supreme Court. Mahdi's defense highlighted a shallow case presented during the sentencing phase, which they claimed did not adequately represent the potential mitigating factors in his life. Upon reviewing the case, the court stated that Mahdi's defense lasted merely about half an hour, which his legal team described as superficial, as it failed to include testimonies from family and acquaintances. In a further contention during his incarceration, Mahdi has demonstrated violent behavior, having been recorded for attempting to escape and injuring prison staff. This history directly affected his case as prosecutors emphasized the danger he posed, impacting the jury's and judge's decisions regarding sentencing. While Mahdi has one possible reprieve left, he can seek clemency from the state's governor, Henry McMaster. However, in South Carolina's contemporary history, no governor has granted clemency for any of the 47 executions since the death penalty resumed in the U.S. in 1976. The upcoming firing squad execution has drawn significant media attention, raising debates about capital punishment, judicial effectiveness, and the controversial methods by which executions are carried out.