Brad Sigmon, a 67-year-old man who is scheduled to be executed today (March 7),

has chosen to die by firing squad, making him the first death row inmate in South Carolina

to face execution by this method in 15 years. Sigmon was convicted in 2001 for the brutal

murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents in Greenville County, South Carolina. He used a baseball

bat to kill Rebecca Barbre’s parents and attempted to kill her as well, though she survived the attack.

Sigmon has been on death row for over two decades, receiving two death sentences and an additional

30-year prison term for burglary. His legal team has argued that Sigmon was suffering from a

“psychotic break” at the time of the murders, suggesting that he may not have been fully competent during his trial.

For his final meal, Sigmon requested three buckets of KFC chicken, reportedly with the intention

of sharing the meal with his fellow death row inmates. His lawyer, Bo King, has made last-minute

efforts to halt the execution, claiming that Sigmon was not fully informed about the specifics

of his execution options, particularly regarding the lethal injection method.

King also raised concerns about the execution drugs, pointing out that the state has not revealed critical details, such as whether the drugs are expired, diluted, or spoiled. Sigmon’s choice to die by firing squad stems from his fear of a prolonged and painful death from the lethal injection, which he believes might mirror the suffering of others executed by this method.

Sigmon’s execution is a significant event, marking a rare instance of a firing squad execution in the United States and the first in South Carolina in recent history.