South-Carolina

South Carolina executes man convicted of murder in state’s third execution since September

Published

1 year ago

February 1, 2025

South Carolina executes man convicted of murder in state’s third execution since September

A South Carolina inmate was executed on Friday, the third time in four months the state has carried out the death penalty as it goes through a backlog of inmates who exhausted their appeals when the state was unable to obtain lethal injection drugs.

Marion Bowman Jr., 44, was executed by lethal injection at 6:27 p.m. for his murder conviction in the shooting death of his friend, 21-year-old Kandee Martin, whose burned body was found in the trunk of a car in 2001.

Bowman has maintained his innocence since his arrest. He said at the beginning of his final statement: “I did not kill Kandee Martin.”

His lawyers raised questions about his conviction, noting that he was convicted on the word of several friends and relatives who received plea deals with prosecutors in exchange for their testimony.

SOUTH CAROLINA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH CONCERNED ABOUT DRUG AFTER ISSUE DURING NOVEMBER EXECUTION

Marion Bowman Jr., 44, was executed by lethal injection at 6:27 p.m. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)

When the curtain to the death chamber opened, Bowman briefly looked at his attorney on the other side of the glass in the witness room before looking back up at the ceiling and closing his eyes, opening his eyes once or twice as he looked up.

After Bowman’s attorney finished reading his final statement and poem, his breathing became heavy, and he puffed his lips as he exhaled. In less than a minute, his breathing stopped. Twenty minutes later, a doctor with a stethoscope listened to his chest and placed a hand on his neck, patting him as she finished.

Bowman said in his final statement that death row inmates might be viewed as the worst of the worst, but they have all grown and changed from what “they were when they had their moment that cost them everything.”

“I know that Kandee’s family is in pain, they are justifiably angry,” Bowman said. “If my death brings them some relief and ability to focus on the good times and funny stories, then I guess it will have served a purpose. I hope they find peace.”

For his final meal, Bowman had fried seafood, including shrimp, fish and oysters, as well as chicken wings and tenders, onion rings, banana pudding, German chocolate cake, cranberry juice and pineapple juice.

Bowman was offered a plea deal for a life sentence but instead went to trial because he said he was not guilty.

His execution was the third in South Carolina since September, when the state – once one of the busiest for executions – ended a 13-year pause in carrying out the death penalty. The pause was caused in part by the state having difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs after its supply expired because of pharmaceutical companies’ concerns that they would have to disclose they had sold the drugs to state officials. The state legislature then passed a shield law allowing officials to keep lethal injection drug suppliers private.

SOUTH CAROLINA SCHEDULING EXECUTIONS AGAIN AFTER A PAUSE FOR THE HOLIDAYS

This photo shows the state’s death chamber in Columbia, South Carolina, including the electric chair, right, and a firing squad chair, left. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP, File)

In July, the state Supreme Court cleared the way to resume executions. Freddie Owens was put to death on Sept. 20 and Richard Moore was executed on Nov. 1, with both men choosing to die by lethal injection.

This was the first execution in the U.S. this year after 25 were carried out in the country last year. The court will allow an execution every five weeks until the other three inmates who have run out of appeals are put to death.

South Carolina has executed 46 inmates since the death penalty was resumed in the U.S. in 1976. In the early 2000s, the state was carrying out an average of three executions per year. Only nine states have killed more inmates.

Bowman did not ask Republican Gov. Henry McMaster for clemency, but the governor’s office still released a letter denying clemency, noting that he received informal requests and petitions to spare Bowman’s life.

No governor in the state has ever reduced a death sentence to life in prison without parole in the modern era of the death penalty.

Bowman’s lawyer, Lindsey Vann, said his client did not want to spend additional decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. He had already spent more than half his life on death row.

“After more than two decades of battling a broken system that has failed him at every turn, Marion’s decision is a powerful refusal to legitimize an unjust process that has already stolen so much of his life,” Vann said in a statement Thursday.

Bowman was convicted in Dorchester County in 2002 in connection with Martin’s death the year before. Several friends and family members testified against him as part of plea deals with prosecutors.

One friend said Bowman was upset because Martin owed him money, while a second testified that Bowman believed Martin was wearing a recording device to have him arrested.

The room where inmates are executed in Columbus, South Carolina. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)

Bowman said he sold drugs to Martin, who was a friend of his for years, and sometimes she would pay with sex, but he said he did not kill her.

The final appeal from his current lawyers argued that Bowman’s trial attorney was not prepared and had too much sympathy for the white victim and not Bowman, who is black. The South Carolina Supreme Court rejected the argument.

Bowman’s lawyers also raised concerns about his execution due to his weight. An anesthesiologist said he feared South Carolina’s secret lethal injection protocols did not take into account that Bowman, listed as 389 pounds in prison records, was heavier, as it can be difficult to properly insert an IV into a blood vessel and determine the dose of the drugs needed in people with obesity.

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His lawyers were concerned that the drug used to put Moore to death in November required two large doses more than 11 minutes apart.

An anesthesiologist involved in reviewing Moore’s autopsy records said they showed fluid in the lungs, leading lawyers to believe he “consciously experienced feelings of drowning and suffocation during the 23 minutes that it took to bring about his death.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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South-Carolina

House ethics committee investigating SC Republican for alleged overbilling

Published

22 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

House ethics committee investigating SC Republican for alleged overbilling

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — The House ethics committee announced Monday it is investigating Representative Nancy Mace, the South Carolina Republican, for potentially improper reimbursement.

Mace may have sought and received reimbursements for Washington property expenses that were greater than the costs she actually incurred. The congresswoman has taken issue with the reliability of the committee’s evidence, however.

The committee began its investigation following a December referral from the House Office of Congressional Conduct (OCC), an independent body that reviews allegations of misconduct. The OCC recommended that the committee investigate Mace’s reimbursement activity since there is “substantial” reason to believe she acted unethically – potentially in violation of House rules, standards of conduct and federal law.

Bills and statements from early 2023 to mid-2024 show that Mace overbilled the House for over $9,000 during that period, the OCC said. She allegedly requested the maximum reimbursement each month, at times receiving over a thousand dollars more than what she was entitled to, although the details of her finances are murky. Mace owned the property with her fiancé, who may have helped pay for it, according to the OCC.

“Based on the information available to the OCC, it appears Rep. Mace was reimbursed amounts exceeding the actual costs incurred for the DC Property during several months in 2023 and 2024,” the office said in its report.

“Further, if Rep. Mace did not pay for 100% of expenses related to the DC property – a determination the OCC could neither reach nor reject due to the Congresswoman’s lack of cooperation – this would increase the disparity between the amounts Rep. Mace was reimbursed and her actual expenses incurred.”

Mace’s lawyer, William Sullivan, Jr., wrote in response to the report in December that the OCC’s conclusions were “fundamentally flawed.” The report appeared to include unverified assertions and materials from the congresswoman’s former fiancé, who has a history of abusive and retaliatory behavior toward her, Sullivan said. The couple’s relationship ended in late 2023 to protect Mace’s “safety and wellbeing,” he noted.

“The Referral Report’s reliance on material and information originating from [the former fiancé] is therefore deeply problematic,” Sullivan wrote. “[The fiancé’s] personal motives, documented misuse of legal process, and demonstrated willingness to advance distorted or incomplete narratives about the Congresswoman raise substantial concerns about the accuracy and fairness of any claims premised upon or aligned with his accounts.”

The ethics committee is in the initial stage of its investigation and is gathering more information before advancing.

Have questions, concerns or tips? Send them to Ray at rjlewis@sbgtv.com.

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South-Carolina

How to watch Tennessee Volunteers: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | March 3

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

How to watch Tennessee Volunteers: Live stream info, TV channel, game time | March 3

The college basketball slate on Tuesday will include Mike Sharavjamts and the South Carolina Gamecocks (12-17, 3-13 SEC) hosting Nate Ament and the No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers (20-9, 10-6 SEC) at Colonial Life Arena, with the matchup tipping at 6 p.m. ET.

See more details below, including how to watch this game on SEC Network.

Here’s everything you need to prepare for Tuesday’s college hoops action.

South Carolina vs. Tennessee: How to watch on TV or live stream

Game day: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Game time: 6 p.m. ET
Location: Columbia, South Carolina
Arena: Colonial Life Arena
TV Channel: SEC Network
Live stream: Fubo – Watch NOW (Regional restrictions may apply)

Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Tennessee vs. South Carolina stats and trends

Tennessee is averaging 80.1 points per game (87th-ranked in college basketball) this year, while ceding 69.2 points per contest (62nd-ranked).
The Volunteers are dominating when it comes to rebounding, as they rank third-best in college basketball in boards (40.1 per game) and second-best in boards allowed (25.8 per contest).
Tennessee ranks 32nd in the country with 17.0 assists per game.
The Volunteers are committing 11.6 turnovers per game (240th-ranked in college basketball). They are forcing 10.6 turnovers per contest (231st-ranked).
Tennessee is making 6.8 threes per game (279th-ranked in college basketball). It has a 34.3% shooting percentage (167th-ranked) from three-point land.
With 7.9 threes conceded per game, the Volunteers rank 196th in the country. They are giving up a 30.5% shooting percentage from three-point land, which ranks 29th in college basketball.
Tennessee is attempting 41.3 two-pointers per game this year, which account for 67.7% of the shots it has taken (and 76.2% of the team’s baskets). Meanwhile, it is attempting 19.7 three-pointers per contest, which are 32.3% of its shots (and 23.8% of the team’s buckets).

Tennessee vs. South Carolina Odds and Spread

Spread Favorite: Volunteers (-8.5)
Moneyline: Tennessee (-437), South Carolina (+328)
Total: 143.5 points

NCAA Basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Tuesday at 1:12 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

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South-Carolina

Bombing of Iran could mean South Carolinians paying more for gas

Published

2 days ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Bombing of Iran could mean South Carolinians paying more for gas

U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran have caused a sharp rise in global energy prices.
Analysts predict gas prices will rise in the U.S., including in South Carolina.
The conflict has disrupted oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global transit route.
South Carolina’s average gas price remains lower than the national average, which is approaching $3 per gallon.

An escalating conflict involving U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in March 2026 has initiated a sharp rise in global energy prices.

Analysts predict a significant uptick in U.S. gasoline prices, including in South Carolina, which often has some of the lowest gas prices in the country.

As of March 2026, AAA reports the national average for regular gasoline is $2.997 per gallon.

Based on projections released earlier this year in the Short-Term Energy Outlook, 2026 was initially forecast to have lower gas prices than 2025. With an expected 6% decrease, translating into approximately a 20-cent-per-gallon drop.

However, due to the conflict, these projections are now uncertain, and prices may not follow the anticipated trend.

“The national average price of gasoline has climbed for a fourth straight week, driven primarily by seasonal tightening and broader market dynamics,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

In the week ahead, De Han stated, gasoline prices are likely to face heightened upward pressure as seasonal trends continue and markets navigate this evolving geopolitical landscape, with the national average poised to reach the $3-per-gallon mark for the first time this year.

“Looking ahead, markets will now begin reacting to this weekend’s U.S.-Iran attacks, which have elevated geopolitical risk premiums even in the absence of immediate supply disruption,” said De Haan. “Oil prices have firmed as traders assess the potential for further escalation, and while fundamentals such as inventories and refinery activity remain important anchors, the risk of broader instability, particularly involving key transit routes, has injected fresh uncertainty into energy markets.”

Here’s what South Carolinians need to know.

How much is gas in South Carolina?

South Carolina’s average gasoline price remains significantly lower than the national average.

In South Carolina, the average price for regular gasoline currently stands at $2.666 per gallon, according to AAA. Mid-grade gasoline is priced at $3.099, premium gasoline is $3.494, and diesel is priced at $3.505.

Gas price hikes anticipated as bombing continue in Iran

South Carolina drivers should consider filling up their gas tanks soon to avoid potential price spikes.

Analysts expect crude oil, which ended trading on Friday, Feb. 27, at about $67 a barrel, to open this week at $90 or higher as traders process the news that Iranian forces have restricted traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz.

Why are gas prices rising?

Iran is a major oil producer, and the ongoing conflict has disrupted the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, where 20% of the world’s oil passes, according to reports from USA TODAY.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has warned vessels to avoid the area, and major shipping companies like Maersk have suspended all crossings. Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates send most of their oil exports through there.

This disruption has and could continue to reduce supply, driving prices up as demand remains steady.

“Too many global economies depend on that corridor to remain blocked,” De Haan said. “Markets price high transaction costs and additional uncertainty, he says, but he is not expecting full closure.”

If access through the strait is limited for an extended period, prices could rise “materially above $100/barrel,” said analysts at TD Securities in a March 1 note.

On the other hand, if access through the strait is guaranteed and hostilities cease, the added costs to account for the extra risk could evaporate in a matter of weeks, the TD team wrote.

“If it becomes clear this week that the tensions with Iran are short-lived, then oil prices will come back to the 60s,” said Rob Thummel, portfolio manager at $9 billion investment manager Tortoise Capital, in emailed remarks to USA TODAY.

Has South Carolina hit highest record average gas prices?

Despite the current spike in gas prices due to the conflict, South Carolina has not yet surpassed its highest recorded average prices, according to AAA.

The record for regular unleaded gasoline in the state was $4.609 per gallon on June 12, 2022.

Diesel hit a peak of $5.638 per gallon on June 10, 2022.

March gas price outlook: What drivers need to know about gas prices

As reported by USA TODAY on Feb. 28, the national average for U.S. gas prices is likely to push above $3 a gallon on March 2 for the first time this year.

Over the next couple of weeks, prices will likely hit at least $3.10 to $3.15 a gallon.

There’s also a normal seasonal increase in gas prices around this time of year, driven by seasonal pipeline maintenance, the transition to more expensive summer-blend fuel, and an increase in driving, according to GasBuddy analysis.

Rob Thummel, portfolio manager at $9 billion investment manager Tortoise Capital, expects gas prices to rise in roughly the same rate as oil prices over the coming weeks.

If crude jumps 10%, gas prices will as well, said Thummel.

Upstate SC Gas landscape

According to GasBuddy, in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, gas prices have shown similar trends to the national average, with drivers experiencing gradual increases at the pump.

Upstate South Carolina stations are adjusting prices in response to crude oil fluctuations and seasonal factors. Here’s the latest prices as of Mondy, March 2 at noon: