South Carolina Executes Sixth Inmate in Nine Months

• Stephen Stanko, convicted of two murders, will receive the death penalty by injection.
• He has the option to appeal his sentence to the U.S. Supreme Court before execution.
• The governor may grant clemency, but this decision is made at the last minute.

This is reported by Associated Press, ABC News.

South Carolina is preparing for its sixth execution in nine months. Stephen Stanko, 57, sentenced to death for two separate murders, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Friday.

Stanko was convicted of murdering his 74-year-old friend Henry Turner, whom he shot in April 2005 using a pillow as a silencer. Just hours before this, he also killed his girlfriend by strangling her and then attacked her teenage daughter, seriously injuring her, but the girl survived.

Initially, Stanko considered execution by firing squad; however, after negative outcomes for previous inmates, he opted for lethal injection. This execution will take place amid a week when three other executions are also scheduled in the U.S.

Last Attempts to Save Stanko's Life

Stanko has the option to appeal his sentence to the U.S. Supreme Court. His attorneys argue that the execution procedure does not meet proper standards, as autopsy results of previous inmates showed fluid in their lungs.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster may grant clemency, but this decision will be made only minutes before the execution. The last 48 executions in the state have not been halted by governors.

The Execution Procedure

During the execution, Stanko will be strapped to a gurney. He will be administered a large dose of the sedative pentobarbital, which has previously raised questions about the suffering of inmates.

Previous testimonies have shown that inmates stop breathing and lose consciousness within one to two minutes after the drug is administered.

Stanko's Murders

Stanko killed Henry Turner while robbing him and fled to Georgia, where he attempted to deceive people by claiming he owned several restaurants. Additionally, he also committed a brutal attack on his girlfriend and her daughter.

The prosecutor who previously handled Stanko's case noted that there are clear signs of criminality and evil in his actions.

Теги: США/Злочинність