South Carolina’s death penalty is being reviewed this week in a Richland County Circuit Court. Attorneys representing four inmates on death row claim that the methods of execution — firing squad and electric chair — are unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, a South Carolina inmate who was convicted for the murder of four people has been taken off of death row after a federal court appeals case. The court ruled the judge who convicted him did not take into account his mental illness and early childhood trauma. His leaving cuts the prisoners on death row nearly in half since 2011, S.C.’s last execution.
In other headlines:
Cunningham picks S.C.’s first female pilot as running mate. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Cunningham picked South Carolina’s first female pilot and Columbia attorney Tally Parham Casey as his running mate against incumbent Gov. Henry McMaster. Casey, who is a Greenville native, said she wants to be a “champion for women” and fight for safe abortion access as Lieutenant Governor.
SCDOT wants public input on Long Point Road project. The state’s Department of Transportation is planning the Long Point Road Interchange Improvement Project, which is designed to ease traffic congestion in the area. SCDOT will host a meeting Tuesday night, seeking public input as they reveal the proposal.
Goose Creek fire department faces staffing crisis, low morale. The city of Goose Creek is short 20 firefighters, according to a group representing the city’s firefighters. The result brings low morale to current firefighters because they feel overworked and concerned for the citizens of Goose Creek.
S.C. can no longer use debt collectors for unpaid lunches. The S.C. General Assembly passed a law earlier this year to prevent schools from using debt collectors to collect unpaid lunches from students. The bill passed unanimously through the House and Senate, and was signed by Gov. Henry McMaster in May. Many parents see this as a win for struggling families who did not qualify for free or reduced lunches.
U.S. drone kills al-Qaeda leader. American intelligence found Ayman al-Zawahari hiding out in Kabul, Afghanistan. President Joe Biden calls it “justice” for the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Al-Zawahari is believed to be a key plotter in the Sept. 11 attacks.
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