A COLD-BLOODED killer’s final moments saw his face twitching for five minutes as he was executed in a South Carolina prison.
Freddie Owens uttered a single “bye” to his attorney before he was given the lethal injection on Friday despite his friend’s last-ditch attempt to stop his death.
Freddie Owens pictured in 2024 before he was executed by lethal injectionAFP
Owens speaking to the media at the time of his arrestWSPA 7News
APThe killer’s face reportedly twitched for five minutes after receiving the lethal injection[/caption]
Owens stayed conscious for one minute before his eyes closed and his breathing shortened until he died.
The 46-year-old killed Irene Graves, a convenience store worker, in 1997 following a failed robbery attempt in Greenville.
Owens was given the death penalty when he killed Christopher Lee, a fellow prisoner, at a county jail during his trial.
Amid difficulties obtaining the necessary medications for lethal injections, Owens’ execution was the first one to take place in South Carolina in 13 years.
His lawyer replied, “Bye,” and the shot was given after Owens gave his farewell.
He was pronounced dead by a physician at 6.55 pm on Friday, slightly over ten minutes after he arrived.
Owens had two cheeseburgers, French fries, well-done ribeye steak, six chicken wings, two strawberry sodas and a slice of apple pie as his hefty last meal.
Owens’ desperate petitions were turned down time and time again, including this Friday morning by a federal court.
His execution was thrown into disarray at the last minute when a crucial witness admitted in a sworn declaration that he lied to get Owens convicted.
Family HandoutOwens killed convenience store clerk Irene Graves in Greenville in 1997[/caption]
FOX Carolina NewsHe also killed county jail inmate Christopher Lee during his trial for Graves’ murder[/caption]
On Wednesday, his lawyers released a declaration from his co-defendant Steven Golden, who claimed that Owens was not at the store when Graves was murdered.
Golden also claimed that he had blamed Owens, who was 19 at the time, because he was high on cocaine and under police pressure.
He wrote: “I thought the real shooter or his associates might kill me if I named him to police.
“I am still afraid of that. But Freddie was not there.”
But the South Carolina Supreme Court decided on Thursday that Golden’s retraction was insufficient to stop prison officials from executing Owens.
According to testimony from many witnesses, Owens was the one who pulled the trigger, according to the prosecution.
U.S. death penalty laws
THE death penalty in the United States is governed by both federal and state laws.
Its legality and application can vary depending on the jurisdiction.
The federal government allows the death penalty for certain crimes such as terrorism, espionage, treason, large-scale drug trafficking, and murder of a federal official or law enforcement officer.
The Federal Death Penalty Act (1994) provides the legal framework for death penalty procedures in federal cases, outlining offenses that are eligible for capital punishment and procedural protections for defendants.
As of now, 24 states permit the death penalty, while 23 have abolished it or have moratoriums.
Each state has its own laws regarding which crimes are punishable by death, usually limited to first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances (e.g., multiple murders, killing a police officer, or murder during a violent crime like robbery).
Lethal injection is the most common method of execution across the U.S., but some states have alternative methods, such as the electric chair, gas chamber, hanging, or firing squad, as secondary options or by choice of the condemned.
Some states have imposed moratoriums (temporary halts) on executions, such as California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, even though the death penalty remains legal in those states.
There has been a growing trend toward abolition, as public opinion has shifted, concerns about wrongful convictions have arisen, and the costs of death penalty cases have increased.
Death penalty cases involve a complex and lengthy appeals process, which includes automatic appeals to higher courts.
This process is designed to ensure that convictions are accurate and that no constitutional rights were violated during the trial.
Defendants in capital cases are afforded specific protections, such as the right to effective legal counsel and mental health evaluations.
The witnesses were Owens’ pals, and they claimed he boasted to them about having killed Graves.
His ex-girlfriend also attested to his confession of murders.
The number of people on South Carolina’s death row has decreased since the inadvertent halt to executions.
Early in 2011, the state had 63 condemned criminals.
After Owens’ death on Friday, there are currently 31.
Following successful appeals, some 20 individuals were removed from death row and given varying jail sentences. Others, meanwhile, died of natural causes.
APRev. Michael Okere protests the planned execution of Freddie Eugene Owens, 46, outside the prison gates on Friday[/caption]
APRev. Hillary Taylor also protested the planned execution of Owens[/caption]