A South Carolina man about to be put to death by lethal injection has asked that his execution be delayed until more information is gathered about the drug that killed him.
Marion Bowman Jr.'s execution is scheduled for Jan. 31, but he is concerned that the drug used to kill another man in November required two large injections more than 11 minutes apart.
An anesthesiologist involved in reviewing autopsy records for Richard Moore, who was executed on November 1, 2024, found fluid in Moore's lungs, leading attorneys to believe he "consciously experienced drowning within the 23 minutes leading up to his death." and a feeling of suffocation.” His death," according to the Associated Press.
South Carolina executes Richard Moore despite widespread support for plea for reduced life sentence
A South Carolina man scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Jan. 31 has asked that his execution be delayed until more information is gathered about the drug that killed him. (Associated Press)
Prison officials did not say why Moore needed a second dose of the drug, but claimed the method used was the same as how the drug is used in other states.
Just a week ago, the federal government said it would scrap the pentobarbital execution protocol after a review raised concerns about "unnecessary pain and suffering," but President Donald Trump has signed an executive order Order directing federal officials to carry out executions.
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump held a document in the Oval Office of the White House on the day he issued an executive order and pardoned the January 6 defendants. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)
Dr. Joseph F. Antognini, an anesthesiologist who teaches at UC Davis, said a second review directed by the governor's office and the prison system revealed witnesses said Moore's breathing took two to three minutes. stopped and lost consciousness.
"Prior to loss of consciousness, the individual experiences no sensation of pain, suffocation, or hunger for air," Antonini wrote.
Texas death row inmate's lawyer says 'no crime committed' in last-ditch effort to save his life
On November 1, 2024, South Carolina executed Richard Moore by lethal injection, but he required two doses of drugs to stop his heart. (Justice360, Associated Press)
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After that, the heart will have periodic, irregular beats that last for up to 20 minutes before stopping, which may be detected on a heart monitor and could lead to a second dose of pentobarb, Antonini said. Appropriate.
State attorneys also said Moore and another inmate who underwent lethal injection had an attorney witness their deaths and "neither attorney alleged that either individual showed any signs of distress during the execution."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.