In Columbia, South Carolina, representatives have sent a letter to state leaders, describing Mikal Mahdi’s execution as botched.
Representative Neal Collins (R – Pickens) and Representative Justin Bamberg (D – Bamberg) filed the letter on Monday.
“What this is about is, making sure that when we do execute as a state, people, that we do it in a way that is humane,” Collins said.
Mahdi was executed by firing squad last month for murdering a police officer over 20 years ago.
Collins and Bamberg said there were several things in the autopsy report that raised concerns.
Collins added that the letter will raise awareness on an execution he said that did not go as planned.
“We need to have oversight and accountability in situations where unfortunate incidents occur that require further study,” Collins stated.
Conversely, Brandon Charochak, spokesman for Governor Henry McMaster, expressed, “The governor has strong confidence in the Department of Corrections’ leadership. He believes the death sentence for Mr. Mahdi was executed properly and in accordance with the law.”
Chrysti Shain, from the South Carolina Department of Corrections, said all three bullets hit Mahdi’s heart, and he took his final breath at 75 seconds.
“The bullets struck Mahdi in the heart, per the autopsy report. They did not miss,” said Shain. “The autopsy report shows no exit wounds. The same firm conducted the autopsy as in previous executions.”
Mahdi’s lawyers filed documents to the South Carolina Supreme Court with their concerns on what they called “the mishandled execution.”
