MORNING HEADLINES | Attorneys for condemned inmate Stephen Stanko, who is set to be executed next month, are asking for more information about two of three execution methods in the state.
The attorneys said the information would help Stanko decide whether to pick the firing squad, which he’d been contemplating, or lethal injection. He has until May 30 to choose.
“Stanko now faces selection of a method of execution with serious unanswered questions,” the motion, dated Friday, reads.
Execution by electric chair is another option, but Stanko’s attorneys say they have advised against it, believing it was less humane. They want to learn how the firing squad’s men are trained and whether the same people were operating the guns in both executions, as well as information about the protocol for lethal injection is also needed.
The motion comes after claims the state’s most recent firing squad execution was botched, according to attorneys. The firing squad reportedly shot inmate Mikal Mahdi twice instead of the “prescribed three times,” according to a pathologist review of the autopsy report.
“An explanation for why Mahdi was conscious and suffering pain for more than double that time and how it will be avoided in the future is necessary as another inmate faces the gruesome choice between execution methods,” attorneys wrote in their request to the court.
In other headlines:
Charleston Co. school district begins transition away from constituent boards. District leaders announced Monday they are establishing a path forward for addressing student transfer, disciplinary cases and zoning. Zoning decisions will be covered through the Operations division; district staff will be responsible for meeting with communities, drafting recommendations; the Office of Accountability and the Department of School Choice will be responsible for student transfers.
Charleston Co.’s median sales price finally dips. In April, the figure for a single-family residence dropped to $699,000 in Charleston County, down 1.5% from the $710,000 a year earlier, according to data released by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.
Citadel football stadium upgrades get flagged by Charleston board. The proposed upgrades for the Citadel’s Johnson Hagood Stadium were criticized for lack of architectural detail and suggested incorporating more design elements or tree cover to blend with the surrounding residential area. The Board of Architectural Review agreed.
Historic park gains permanent protection status. Red Top Park, which is one piece of the Red Top community and the former site of the Red Top Rosenwald School built in 1927, now has permanent preservation in its future.
Some look to moths to see changes in Lowcountry ecosystem. Lowcountry moths can offer a glimpse into how climate change is impacting the Lowcountry that other insects can’t provide, according to specialists.
Antebellum silver chalice returns to Edisto Island and Gullah roots. A 19th-century silver chalice that was used in a mixed-race church on Edisto Island was returned May 13 after being lost for almost two centuries.
Summerville church nears end of rebuilding after fire. After three years since a devastating fire destroyed a church, the end is in sight for the First Emmanuel Baptist Church in Summerville’s rebuilding project, with an estimated eight to 10 months before completion.
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