MORNING HEADLINES | A Wednesday ruling by the state Supreme Court clears the way for Brad Sigmon, convicted in 2002 of beating his girlfriend’s parents to death with a baseball bat in Greenville County, to be executed Friday by firing squad at Columbia’s Broad River Correctional Institution.
Sigmon, who would be the first person executed by firing squad in the U.S. in 15 years, apparently chose the method because he worried lethal injection would be tortuous and the electric chair would be like being “cooked alive,” according to one story.
“Mr. Sigmon is pretty fearful about Friday,” a lawyer told WSPA TV in Spartanburg.
According to reports, a target will be placed over Sigmon’s heart at 6 p.m. Friday after he is strapped to a chair in the state’s death chamber. A hood will be put over his head. Then three people armed with guns with live ammunition will fire from 15 feet away.
Sigmon would be the fourth person executed in South Carolina since the executions resumed in September.
VOTE NOW: The Best of Charleston 2025 reader contest is now open for final voting. Cast your choices for best people and businesses in more than 400 categories. Click here to vote.
In other news:
CP FOOD: Downtown Charleston Irish pub Bumpa’s to close March 18. After throwing a bit St. Patrick’s Day Bash on March 17, Irish pub Bumpa’s will close its doors. “Owning a bar with my brother had always been a dream of mine, and I’m so glad we got to make it a reality,” co-owner Dan Sullivan said in a statement. “It pains me that this chapter is ending, but I’m so proud of what we built. I’m beyond grateful for our staff and will forever appreciate the locals and visitors who filled our place with cheer for nearly five years.”
S.C. Ports reaches Union Pier sale agreement with Navarro. A company owned by Charleston-based billionaire philanthropist Ben Navarro will pay $250 million for the 65-acre site in downtown Charleston, according to the State Ports Authority. The sale clears the way for what some have called the largest redevelopment in Charleston history.
Experts say Dockside issues similar to those that caused Florida condo collapse. Following last week’s emergency evacuation of the Dockside condominium building due to structural concerns, City of Charleston officials have ordered building engineers to assess the likelihood of a “progressive tower collapse” like the one that killed 98 people in Florida in 2021.
S.C. anti-DEI bill would mandate sweeping changes in public, private sectors. An S.C. House bill to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives would bar state and local governments from doing business with any entity with DEI policies, including major Palmetto State manufacturers like BMW, Michelin and Bosch.
IQ Fiber enters Charleston market with $40 million investment. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based broadband service provider says it chose Charleston because of its soaring population.
Charleston launches new opioid initiative. Charleston leaders say the city’s new “Recovery is a Reality” will use videos to highlight stories of recovery in the Lowcountry. The program was funded with a grant from the S.C. Opioid Relief Fund.
MORNING HEADLINES | A Wednesday ruling by the state Supreme Court clears the way for Brad Sigmon, convicted in 2002 of beating his girlfriend’s parents to death with a baseball bat in Greenville County, to be executed Friday by firing squad at Columbia’s Broad River Correctional Institution.
Sigmon, who would be the first person executed by firing squad in the U.S. in 15 years, apparently chose the method because he worried lethal injection would be tortuous and the electric chair would be like being “cooked alive,” according to one story.
“Mr. Sigmon is pretty fearful about Friday,” a lawyer told WSPA TV in Spartanburg.
According to reports, a target will be placed over Sigmon’s heart at 6 p.m. Friday after he is strapped to a chair in the state’s death chamber. A hood will be put over his head. Then three people armed with guns with live ammunition will fire from 15 feet away.
Sigmon would be the fourth person executed in South Carolina since the executions resumed in September.
In other news:
CP FOOD: Downtown Charleston Irish pub Bumpa’s to close March 18. After throwing a bit St. Patrick’s Day Bash on March 17, Irish pub Bumpa’s will close its doors. “Owning a bar with my brother had always been a dream of mine, and I’m so glad we got to make it a reality,” co-owner Dan Sullivan said in a statement. “It pains me that this chapter is ending, but I’m so proud of what we built. I’m beyond grateful for our staff and will forever appreciate the locals and visitors who filled our place with cheer for nearly five years.”
- VOTE NOW: The Best of Charleston 2025 reader contest is now open for final voting. Cast your choices for best people and businesses in more than 400 categories. Click here to vote.
S.C. Ports reaches Union Pier sale agreement with Navarro. A company owned by Charleston-based billionaire philanthropist Ben Navarro will pay $250 million for the 65-acre site in downtown Charleston, according to the State Ports Authority. The sale clears the way for what some have called the largest redevelopment in Charleston history.
Experts say Dockside issues similar to those that caused Florida condo collapse. Following last week’s emergency evacuation of the Dockside condominium building due to structural concerns, City of Charleston officials have ordered building engineers to assess the likelihood of a “progressive tower collapse” like the one that killed 98 people in Florida in 2021.
S.C. anti-DEI bill would mandate sweeping changes in public, private sectors. An S.C. House bill to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives would bar state and local governments from doing business with any entity with DEI policies, including major Palmetto State manufacturers like BMW, Michelin and Bosch.
IQ Fiber enters Charleston market with $40 million investment. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based broadband service provider says it chose Charleston because of its soaring population.
Charleston launches new opioid initiative. Charleston leaders say the city’s new “Recovery is a Reality” will use videos to highlight stories of recovery in the Lowcountry. The program was funded with a grant from the S.C. Opioid Relief Fund.
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