South Carolina Executes First Inmate in 13 Years Despite Claims of Innocence
The Facts
The state of South Carolina executed death row inmate Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah, previously known as Freddie Eugene Owens, on Friday at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia by lethal injection.
He was the first inmate put to death by the state since the start of an unintended 13-year pause, and the 44th in South Carolina since capital punishment was reinstated nationwide in 1976.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is not criminal justice, but rather savagery and the unnecessary loss of human life. Aside from the usual criticism of capital punishment, the execution of Allah — or Owens — is all the more shocking because the key witness admitted that his initial testimony was false. It's about time to abolish the death penalty to avoid such miscarriages of justices.
Narrative B
It's only natural that the recanted testimony of Golden caused uproar and shock just days before the execution of Owens. However, a closer look reveals this last-minute affidavit was unreliable, as it contradicts sworn statements he has made over the past decades, as well as those of other witnesses. Owens was a dangerous man and his execution was justified.