A convicted murderer met his end via a firing squad during a brutal execution on death row last evening. Stephen Bryant, aged 44, chose this method over the more common lethal injection or electric chair. He became the third person in South Carolina this year to face this form of capital punishment, with three prison staff members offering to participate.
Bryant, who had spent 21 years on death row for the killings of three men in a span of five days, including a father who sought his help when his car broke down near Bryant’s residence, was executed amidst the presence of family members of the victims. Despite making no final statement, Bryant succumbed within minutes of the firing squad’s actions, marking the seventh death penalty carried out by South Carolina in the last 14 months.
In contrast, Florida has taken the lead in executions this year, recently putting to death its 16th person. Bryan Frederick Jennings was administered lethal injection for the rape and murder of a young girl four decades ago.
For his last meal, Bryant requested a spicy seafood stir-fry, fried fish over rice, egg rolls, stuffed prawns, two desserts, and a slice of German chocolate cake. Bo King, a South Carolina attorney specializing in death penalty cases, highlighted Bryant’s troubled past, citing a genetic disorder, abuse from relatives, and the detrimental effects of his mother’s alcoholism on his well-being.
King emphasized Bryant’s forgiveness towards his family and his compassionate nature towards individuals both inside and outside the prison system. Bryant confessed to the murder of one individual in 2004 and two others in subsequent incidents, all involving deceitful tactics to lure them into vulnerable positions before fatally shooting them.
