South Carolina wants to restart executions with firing squad, electric chair and lethal injection

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Lawyers for four death row inmates who are out of appeals have argued to the South Carolina Supreme Court that the state’s old electric chair and new firing squad are cruel and unusual punishments. Those lawyers also argued Tuesday that a 2023 law meant to allow lethal injections to restart keeps secret too many details about the new drug and protocol used to kill prisoners. The state says courts have never found executions must be instantaneous or painless. They say the shield law is needed to protect the suppliers of lethal injection drugs and the people who carry out the sentence. South Carolina hasn't had an execution since 2011.