Inside South Carolina’s Third Firing Squad Execution

Stephen Corey Bryant was executed by firing squad on Friday. He was convicted of killing multiple people in 2004. He lost his final appeal, and witnesses spoke about what happened and whether the method was humane.

Choosing The Type Of Death

On Monday, investigative journalist Brian Entin took to YouTube and described the case and the procedures that took place. As he noted, it’s not an easy subject, and it was the third South Carolina execution by firing squad. Allegedly, the drugs for lethal injection are not easy to get. Notably, it seems few people want electrocution.

During his deep dive into the subject, Entin spoke with Ted Clifford, who reports for a newspaper. But first, he explained that the process is happening more frequently in the state. “It’s the third time South Carolina has employed this controversial and most violent method this year,” Entin said.

He mentioned that with drugs for a lethal injection becoming harder to get, some states are going back to the use of old methods. South Carolina is among the five states that allow death by firing squad.

The Witness

Ted Clifford, was at the scene of the execution of Stephen Corey Bryant and witnessed it. Clifford was one of the three media members chosen by a lottery. The reporter pointed out that because the death penalty is carried out in a very secretive manner, it’s an important thing to be granted access. “The South Carolina death penalty system is incredibly closed to the public,” he commented. “They are very secretive.”

Clifford’s recounting of the firing squad execution seemed was quite frightening. After the death chamber was reached by the tightly guarded convoy, the witnesses were taken to a spot just a few feet away from a window made of glass.

How The Execution Happened

At 6 p.m., a curtain was pulled back abruptly revealing Bryant already secured to a metal chair in the corner of the room. Dressed in a black jumpsuit, his head was secured tightly by the strap. “He looked at the audience… and then just went on to look straight ahead,” Clifford recalled.

Just a minute later, 6:01 p.m., a black hood was put over Bryant’s head. A small “white paper with a red circle” was attached over his heart. Then, “Absolutely no warning, about 6:02, you hear the rifle shots,” Clifford recalled.

“It just sounds (as if) incredibly loud gunfire. Incredibly close,” he added. The three executioners fired from a concealed slit in the wall, at the same time, using specialized .308 Winchester rounds that break up and destroy the heart.

According to Clifford, he saw the target “fly off his chest” and the prisoner’s body jerk upon the impact. After a minute or so, there was no movement. A doctor came in and declared Bryant dead at 6:05 p.m. The whole thing from the time the curtain was opened till it was closed, was only seven minutes.

The Death Penalty Debate

Obviously, the execution for horrific true crime brings back the debate on national level about the different ways in which the death penalty is carried out.

While some experts opine that a firing squad is a quicker and more reliable method as compared to lethal injection, the opponents of it consider it a barbaric regress to a violent past.

Viewers Weigh In

In the comments section, people arrived to discuss the execution, and the humanity of it all. One person opined, “The victims suffered more than the few seconds to execute.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion area:

• They get to choose their method of death? Hmmm. Their victims didn’t get to.
• For some reason I’ve always pictured this happening outside. Like outback behind a wall or something.
• I’ve often wondered how the firing squad execution was carried out. I was compleatly mesmerized as he was recounting his time from start to finish. Thank you. Great interview Brian!
• It is probably faster and more humane than what they put their victims and families through. They keep them alive for too long… As far as that guy suffering…. TOO BAD! Don’t believe there is cruel and unusual punishment for these criminals.

What are your thoughts on firing squad execution? Did you know it happened in a small room? Do you agree that it seemed humane? Or should the death penalty be stopped? Let us know in the comments below, and come back here often for all your true crime news and updates.