South Carolina inmate opts for lethal injection after firing squad controversy

In South Carolina, Stephen Stanko, a 57-year-old inmate on death row, recently chose execution by lethal injection over the firing squad. This decision followed troubling reports regarding the execution of another inmate by firing squad, which was deemed "botched," resulting in a prolonged death when bullets missed the target. Stanko was previously sentenced to death twice for two separate murders; the first was for killing his friend, Henry Turner, in 2006, and the second for murdering his girlfriend and assaulting her teenage daughter before her testimony led to his conviction. Stanko's legal representatives attempted to delay his scheduled execution, requesting further information regarding the issues surrounding the execution methods and the potential problems associated with the firing squad. However, their request was denied by the South Carolina Supreme Court, leading Stanko to ultimately decide on lethal injection as a less distressing option. The state had not executed anyone since 2011 due to a shortage of lethal injection drugs, which had left prisons without a viable means of carrying out capital punishment for years. During executions, the lethal injection typically requires inmates to be strapped to a gurney, with medical personnel inserting an IV. The process has been reported to take approximately 20 minutes from the time the execution begins until the inmate is declared dead. Notably, in previous executions, autopsy results indicated significant fluid accumulation in the lungs, raising concerns about whether the inmates might still feel pain, despite claims from state medical experts that the injections render inmates unconscious before suffering. Stanko’s choice reflects broader debates surrounding capital punishment methods and the perceived humanity of various execution practices. As South Carolina resumed executions after a significant hiatus, the implications of how executions are conducted have garnered substantial scrutiny from both legal advocates and the public. The resumption of executions amidst this debate has intensified discussions about ethics and methods of capital punishment, making Stanko's decision emblematic of the tension present within the justice system regarding humane execution.