Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 12th April 2025, 3:19 PM
WASHINGTON, 12 April 2025 (BSS/AFP) – A 42-year-old man convicted of two murders has been executed by firing squad in South Carolina, the second such execution in the state this year and a stark reminder of the return of controversial execution methods in parts of the United States.
Execution Details:
| Name of Executed | Age | Date of Execution | Method | Time of Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikal Mahdi | 42 | 11 April 2025 | Firing Squad | 6:05 p.m. (local) |
According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the execution was carried out by a three-person firing squad at 6:01 p.m. local time. Mahdi was pronounced dead four minutes later.
Crimes and Legal Proceedings:
Mikal Mahdi was convicted of two brutal killings in 2004:
James Myers, a 56-year-old off-duty police officer, was shot and his body set on fire after discovering Mahdi hiding in a garden shed.
Three days earlier, Mahdi had murdered a convenience store clerk.
Despite his legal team’s appeals for clemency, including claims of a severely traumatic and abusive childhood, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster declined to intervene.
Choice of Execution Method:
South Carolina is one of the few US states that allows death row inmates to choose their method of execution. The options include:
Lethal Injection
Electric Chair
Firing Squad
Mahdi elected to die by firing squad, a method revived in the state due to shortages of lethal injection drugs and ongoing legal challenges.
Background and Mitigating Circumstances:
Mahdi’s defence lawyers painted a tragic portrait of his upbringing and psychological state:
Raised by a mentally ill father after his mother fled domestic violence.
Spent over 80% of his life in custody between ages 14 and 21.
Endured approximately 8,000 hours in solitary confinement.
Described as “deeply remorseful” and “profoundly changed” from the individual who committed the crimes.
Defence lawyer David Weiss condemned the execution:
“The State of South Carolina executed him by firing squad – a horrifying act that belongs in the darkest chapters of history, not in a civilised society.”
Wider Context:
Mahdi’s execution marks the 12th execution in the United States in 2025, with 25 executions carried out in 2024. While most executions since 1976 have involved lethal injection, some states have turned to alternative methods amidst logistical and legal challenges:
| Execution Method | States Utilising (2025) | Controversies |
|---|---|---|
| Lethal Injection | Most death penalty states | Drug shortages, botched executions |
| Electric Chair | South Carolina, Tennessee | Criticised as outdated and cruel |
| Firing Squad | South Carolina | Resurfaced after over a decade; human rights concerns |
| Nitrogen Gas | Alabama | Denounced by UN experts as “cruel and inhumane” |
The United States Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, but opposition has grown.
23 states have abolished the death penalty outright.
3 states – California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania – have placed official moratoriums on executions.
Political Angle:
President Donald Trump remains a vocal supporter of capital punishment. On his first day in office, he called for expanding the death penalty for the “vilest crimes.”
In a separate development, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal prosecutors will pursue the death penalty in the murder case of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, who was killed in New York on 4 December.
Comments