Bowman slated for execution today in Dorchester Co. killing

MORNING HEADLINES | South Carolina is preparing today to execute the third inmate since resuming executions in September after a 13-year pause when it couldn’t find lethal injection drugs.

Marion Bowman Jr., 44, was convicted of murder in the 2001 Dorchester County shooting death of a friend whose burned body later was found in the trunk of a car. The execution is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday at a Columbia prison. On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request to stop the execution.

Bowman has been on death row for more than half of his life. He was offered a plea deal for a life sentence, but he pleaded not guilty, sending the case to trial.

Despite maintaining his innocence since his arrest, Bowman is not asking Gov. Henry McMaster for clemency. His lawyer, Lindsey Vann, said Bowman did not want to spend more decades in prison for a crime he did not commit.

After the General Assembly passed a shield law to protect the names of companies supplying lethal injection drugs, prison officials were able to find a compounding pharmacy willing to make the drug, pentobarbital, as long as its identity wasn’t made public.

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HELP WANTED: ISO great Valentine’s stories. Hey Charleston lovebirds — is there a bar or restaurant in town that played a pivotal role in your romance? Or perhaps a dish or drink that you celebrate with every year?

We want to hear all about it! Send the details to connelly@charlestoncitypaper.com to be featured in our coming Valentine’s Day issue.

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In Friday’s issue of the Charleston City Paper:

CP OPINION: Needed — More of a Prince William, less of a Backroom Billy. “It gives us no pleasure to report that after his first year in office, Charleston Mayor William Cogswell is looking less like a noble ‘Prince William’ and more like a secretive ‘Backroom Billy.'”

CP CARTOON: Stegelin: The golden age of America
CP CARTOON: Ariail: Stop digging

CP NEWS: State’s growing EV industry may face trouble from Trump. When President Donald Trump vowed last year to kill “the green new scam,” South Carolina voters likely assumed he meant progressive proposals like the“Green New Deal” by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

CP NEWS: Foundation to offer African American-community preservation toolkit. The WeGOJA Foundation in Columbia is expected to release a comprehensive online guide on Feb. 7 to help communities preserve historic African American schools, churches, cemeteries, oral histories and culture across the state.

CP FOCUS: The magic of photography in the Lowcountry. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a really good photograph by somebody who knows what he or she is doing with a camera is worth tens of thousands of words.

CP FOOD: Where to get the best soup in Charleston before the weather warms up. Forget the big game. This cold weather has us thinking more about warming foods than chilly football matches.

CP FOOD: Fleet Landing a Charleston staple for the past 20 years. Fleet Landing co-owner Weesie Newton always planned for the waterfront, seafood-focused restaurant to last 20 years.

In other recent headlines:

Lowcountry road reflectors ripped up by snow plows after winter storm. After all the snow and ice has finally melted off the roads, people are now seeing the aftereffects of it.

Mount Pleasant’s 7-year ban on new apartments, townhomes expires. A years-long ban on condos, apartments and townhomes has expired. Now, developers will have access, albeit limited, to a finite number of building permits for the first time since 2017.

North Charleston mayor details how he hopes to strengthen community. North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess delivered the 2025 “State of the City” address Thursday night. It focused on how he can grow the city.

Charleston, Isle of Palms settle against Airbnb and VRBO. Charleston and Isle of Palms agreed to settle a lawsuit against a number of short-term rental companies, including Airbnb and VRBO, in an attempt to recoup some taxes and fees that the business owes.

Sullivan’s Island beachgoers welcome planned access improvements. The Town of Sullivan’s Island plans to work on improving beach access points ahead of this summer.

S.C. Senate OKs school voucher bill funded by lottery. The S.C. Senate passed a private school voucher bill using state Education Lottery dollars. Now, it’s the House’s turn, where its path is rockier.

Culinary creators from Charleston had star moments on TV last year. Charleston has had its fair share of representation on culinary TV shows in 2024.