South Carolina executed Khalil Divine Black Sun Allah on death row after key witness recanted testimony saying he lied at trial. Allah maintained his innocence in the armed robbery and murder of Irene Graves in 1997. Witness Steven Golden recanted his testimony two days before the execution, saying Allah was not present during the robbery and did not shoot Graves. Despite new evidence, the state supreme court rejected a delay in the execution.
Allah, formerly known as Freddie Owens, was pronounced dead by lethal injection. His lawyer witnessed his final moments saying he appeared conscious for a minute before closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. Golden also confessed that he had been pressured to implicate Allah in the crime, fearing for his life. The attorney general argued against a new trial, stating other evidence pointed to Allah’s guilt.
Allah’s family condemned the injustice and called for the governor’s intervention. They emphasized the fallibility of the justice system and the irreversible nature of capital punishment. With Allah’s execution, South Carolina could see a series of executions in the coming months with pentobarbital, a sedative used for lethal injections. The flaws in Allah’s case brought attention to the unjust nature of the death penalty and the impact on the victim’s family, who remembered Irene Graves as a dedicated mother who sacrificed for her children. The state’s decision to move forward with the execution despite new evidence brought renewed scrutiny to the death penalty.
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