South Carolina death row inmate Stephen Bryant chooses firing squad execution after admitting to gruesome murder
A 44‑year‑old man on South Carolina’s death row, Stephen Bryant, chose a firing squad for his execution on Friday. The state will carry out the sentence on Nov. 14, making Bryant the third person to die by this method in South Carolina this year.
Bryant had a brief window of choice between three options: lethal injection, the electric chair, or the firing squad. He opted for the squad, a rare choice that has only been used a handful of times in the United States—in Utah in 1977 and recently in South Carolina.
The decision comes after the state restarted executions in 2024, after a 13‑year pause caused by issues with obtaining lethal‑injection drugs. Since resuming, four inmates have gone for lethal injection, two for the firing squad, and Bryant is the latest.
The case dates back to 2008, when Bryant was convicted of killing Willard “TJ” Tietjen in his home. After the murder, investigators found victims’ blood‑stained messages on walls, including “catch me if u can.” Tietjen’s body was wrapped in candles, and a potholder soaked in his blood was used to write further notes in the victim’s blood. Tietjen’s daughter later reported a shockingly cold voice on the final phone call, telling her the family had been killed.
Prosecutors say Bryant’s cruelty didn’t stop there. In October 2004, he is alleged to have shot two additional men—one before and one after the Tietjen killings. Witnesses claim he would give coordinators rides and then fire shots as they lay down on rural roads.
Bryant’s lawyers argue he was deeply traumatized, citing a history of sexual abuse by four male relatives. He reportedly turned to drugs, including meth and marijuana laced with bug spray, in an attempt to cope.
At the execution, three volunteers will fire the shots from a distance of about 15 feet. Earlier this week, a controversy over a recent firing‑squad execution surfaced. The inmate in that case reportedly sustained a narrowly missed heart and suffered prolonged agony, leading his attorneys to file a legal challenge. Witnesses said the man groaned for more than a minute before dying, a scenario the state’s officials insist is no different from other firing‑squad protocols, which simply aim to hit the heart rather than destroy it.
Statistically, firing‑squad executions are extremely uncommon. Since 1977, only three U.S. prisoners—all in Utah—have been executed by this method. Nationwide, 41 men have been executed this year, with 18 more scheduled.
This development highlights the ongoing debate over execution methods in the U.S., as states continue to explore alternatives to lethal injection amid supply and legal challenges.
Source: New York Post
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