South Carolina authorities have carried out the execution of Stephen Bryant, a 44-year-old man convicted of a brutal triple murder spree in 2004 that culminated in him scrawling the chilling message "catch me if you can" on a wall using the blood of one of his victims.
The execution was conducted by a firing squad on Friday in the state capital of Columbia, as confirmed by the South Carolina Department of Corrections. Bryant was pronounced dead at 6:05 pm.
The Final Execution
According to reports, Stephen Bryant was given a choice in his method of execution and chose the firing squad over lethal injection or the electric chair. Three volunteer prison employees, each armed with live ammunition, carried out the sentence.
Before the execution, Bryant was restrained to a metal chair positioned 15 feet away from a wall with a rectangular opening. A red bullseye target was placed over his heart to guide the shooters.
Witnesses reported that the condemned man made no final statement. He briefly glanced at the ten witnesses present before a mask was placed over his head. Approximately 55 seconds later, shots rang out.
Bryant made no noise. The target marking his heart flew forward from the impact. Officials observed a few shallow breaths followed by a final spasm just over a minute later. A doctor then examined him with a stethoscope for a full minute before pronouncing him dead.
A Grisly 2004 Crime Spree
Stephen Bryant's execution marks the end of a long legal process stemming from a horrific five-day crime spree in a rural part of South Carolina in 2004. Bryant pleaded guilty to murdering three people during this period.
The defining moment of his brutality was the taunting message, "catch me if you can," written in the blood of a victim, which became a haunting signature of his crimes.
For his final meal, Bryant requested and was served a large feast consisting of:
- Spicy mixed seafood stir-fry
- Fried fish over rice
- Egg rolls
- Stuffed shrimp
- Two candy bars
- German chocolate cake
The Bigger Picture of US Executions
This incident is the third execution by firing squad in South Carolina this year alone. It contributes to a significant national trend, with 43 executions carried out across the United States in the current year.
This is the highest number of annual executions since 2012, when the same number of inmates were put to death.
The methods of execution used across the country this year break down as follows:
- 35 by lethal injection
- 3 by firing squad
- 5 by nitrogen hypoxia
The use of different methods, including the recently used nitrogen hypoxia which causes suffocation via nitrogen gas, highlights the ongoing and intense debate surrounding capital punishment in the United States.
It is noteworthy that the death penalty has been abolished in 23 of the 50 US states. Three additional states—California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania—have official moratoriums in place, suspending its use.
