Botched SC Firing Squad Execution Faces Legal Review

On April 11, 2025, South Carolina inmate Mikal Mahdi was executed by firing squad in a botched procedure, as only two bullets struck him and missed his heart, causing him to suffer and remain conscious for up to a minute. Autopsy and expert analyses, including input from pathologist Dr. Jonathan Arden, revealed the bullets struck Mahdi's pancreas, liver, and lower lung, and that he was pronounced dead approximately four minutes after the shots. The state's execution protocol requires three shots to the heart to ensure a rapid death within 10–15 seconds, but this was not achieved. Witnesses reported Mahdi groaning and breathing after the shots. Mahdi’s attorneys have filed notice of the botched execution with the South Carolina Supreme Court, raising constitutional concerns about cruel and unusual punishment. The incident has intensified scrutiny of South Carolina’s execution methods and protocols.