South-Carolina

South Carolina to execute Freddie Owens despite questions over guilt. What to know

Published

7 days ago

September 20, 2024

South Carolina to execute Freddie Owens despite questions over guilt. What to know

Owens is set to be executed by lethal injection in the state’s first execution in 13 years. This despite a key witness who testified against Owens now proclaiming his innocence.

A death row inmate convicted of killing a single mother of three children in South Carolina is set to become the first execution in the state in more than a decade and the 14th in the nation this year, despite a key witness who testified against him now proclaiming his innocence.

Freddie Eugene Owens, 46, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. on Friday. He was convicted of killing of 41-year-old Irene Grainger Graves, who was shot in the head at the convenience store where she worked during a Halloween night robbery in 1997.

On Wednesday, Owens’ co-defendant in the robbery, Steven Golden, signed a sworn statement saying that Owens didn’t shoot Graves and was not even there that night, according to reporting by the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network.

“Freddie Owens is not the person who shot Irene Graves at the Speedway on November 1, 1997,” Golden told the South Carolina Supreme Court. “Freddie was not present when I robbed the Speedway that day.”

On Thursday, the South Carolina Supreme Court declined to stop the execution, saying the sworn statement didn’t trump Owens’ previous alleged confessions. Now Owens’ last hope is Republican Gov. Henry McMaster, who has the power to grant clemency in the case.

Here’s what you need to know about the execution.

What was Freddie Eugene Owens convicted of?

Owens and Golden were convicted in Graves’ death, which came during a robbery of the convenience store where she worked in Greenville, South Carolina. Graves was shot in the head after she told the men that she could not open the store safe.

Owens has always maintained he was at home in bed at the time of the robbery, and now Golden’s statement backs that up.

Golden said he went along with detectives who told him to say that Owens was with him during the robbery, saying he was afraid of getting the death penalty. In a statement to police, Golden said he “substituted Freddie for the person who was really with me in the Speedway that night.”

“I did that because I knew that’s what the police wanted me to say, and also because I thought the real shooter or his associates might kill me if I named him to the police,” he said. “I am still afraid of that. But Freddie was actually not there.”

Golden reached a plea agreement with prosecutors to testify against Owens and avoided the death penalty. His murder charge was reduced to voluntary manslaughter and he was sentenced to 28 years in prison.

In response to the state Supreme Court’s decision to allow the execution to proceed, one of Owens’ attorneys, Gerald Bo King, said he was “disappointed” in the ruling “despite compelling evidence of his innocence that emerged.”

“South Carolina is on the verge of executing a man for a crime he did not commit,” he said.

Who is Freddie Eugene Owens?

Owens’ childhood was filled with neglect, abuse, trauma and psychological difficulties. His older sister described their father as extremely violent and abusive, saying he hit the children “all the time” with bats, beer cans, extension cords and belts “until we bled,” according to court records obtained by USA TODAY.

Owens’ mother, Dora Diane Mason, recounted how Owens’ father abused him as a child.

“I remember a time when Freddie was about 1 year old – he was very small – that his father got mad at him and whooped him and shook him so hard,” Mason said. “After he stopped and I was able to get Freddie, I couldn’t get Freddie to stop crying no matter how I tried.”

Today, Owens has chosen to go by a different name − Khalil-Divine Black Sun-Allah − after converting to Islam in prison. Court records still refer to him as Owens.

When he was first incarcerated, he wrote detailed letters to a woman he loved, at times expressing anger and jealousy and others showing his deeply vulnerable side, saying: “I’m as fragile as a child.”

A death row inmate’s letters: Read vulnerable, angry thoughts written by Freddie Owens

Who was Irene Grainger Graves?

Arte Graves, who was 18 when his mother was killed, said he remembers how hard-working and fun she was.

Irene Graves, who was a single mom, worked three jobs at the Speedway convenience store, Kmart and a supermarket called Bi-Lo to support her kids.

“She always reminded us to look after each other and always reminded us that we were family, to look after each other,” Arte Graves, now 45, told USA TODAY in an interview. “We were always having fun. I liked wrestling when I was growing up so she would take me to the wrestling shows when they were at the old auditorium.”

He said his mother was also strong, determined, and loving.

Arte Graves said he had just moved to Delaware for college when his mom was murdered, and that he immediately moved back to South Carolina to be with his younger siblings, who were just 10 and 11 years old at the time. He still lives in the state and owns a small transportation company.

About his mom, he said: “I miss her every day.”

When and where will Freddie Eugene Owens be executed?

Owens is set to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Broad River Correctional Institute in Columbia, South Carolina.

What will Freddie Eugene Owens’ last meal be?

Details on his last meal will be released on Friday, according to Chrysti Shain, a spokesperson with the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

Owens will get the chance to say his last words before he is killed. Check back with USA TODAY to find out what they are.

Who will witness Freddie Eugene Owens’ execution?

Arte Graves told USA TODAY that he will be among the witnesses to the executions but said whether other family members will is still up in the air.

Members of the media will be at the execution, including:

The Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network
The Associated Press
Fox Carolina
The Charleston Post and Courier

When is the nation’s next execution?

Owens’ execution is the first of five scheduled in the U.S. in only a six-day period. On Tuesday, Texas is set to execute Travis James Mullis in the 2008 murder of his baby boy, and Missouri is set to execute Marcellus Williams in the death of 1998 fatal stabbing of a former reporter despite prosecutors and victim family members arguing that he should be spared because he could very well be innocent.

After Tuesday’s double execution, Thursday is expected to bring two more back-to-back executions. Alabama is set to use nitrogen gas to execute Alan Eugene Miller in the shooting deaths of three co-workers in 1999 despite evidence of his mental illness and a witness to the state’s previous nitrogen gas execution in January who described the method as “horrific.”

Also Thursday, Oklahoma is set to execute Emmanuel Littlejohn in the death of a convenience store clerk in 1992 despite his arguments that he wasn’t the shooter.

If all five executions proceed, the U.S. will have executed 18 death row inmates this year. Another six are scheduled, and more could be added to the calendar.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

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South-Carolina

Officials announce road closures due to Hurricane Helene

Published

5 hours ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

Officials announce road closures due to Hurricane Helene

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – As Hurricane Helene heads towards South Carolina, various officials from across the Midlands have announced road closures due to flooding.

City of Columbia

As of around noon Thursday, the City of Columbia announced portions of Whaley Street and Main Street have closed due to having accumulated a significant amount of rain.

Whaley Street is closed from Assembly Street to Sumter Street, and Main Street is closed from Catawba Street to Whaley Street.

The Columbia-Richland Fire Department also reported that the intersection of Main Street and Whaley Street is flooded.

Officials announce road closures due to Hurricane Helene – Main and Whaley(Columbia-Richland Fire Department)

WIS News 10 crews have also picked up on a large amount of rainwater at the intersection of Blossom Street and Huger Street, seen below.

WIS News 10 crews have also picked up on a large amount of rainwater at the intersection of Blossom and Huger Streets.

As of around 12:45 p.m., The Columbia Police Department (CPD) said they are redirecting traffic at this intersection due to severe flooding. Westbound traffic on Blossom, who are headed towards Cayce, will be routed to Gervais Street.

At around 1:30 p.m., officials with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) said the Blossom Street bridge has closed due to flooding. Crews are working to reopen the road, but SCDOT said drivers should expect delays.

The intersection of Key Road and Market Street, adjacent to Williams-Brice Stadium has also experienced flooding Thursday. The Columbia-Richland Fire Department said a driver had to be rescued from his vehicle after it stalled out in flood waters on Key Road.

Officials announce road closures due to Hurricane Helene – Key Road

The city said they are sending crews to monitor the closures and eventually reopen the roads.

The following intersections are prone to flooding:

Main and Whaley
Gervais and Laurens
Blossom and Henderson
Blossom and Saluda
Harden and Santee
Monroe and Maple
Two Notch and Read
Wheat and Amherst
Adger and Devine
Wheat and Sumter
Wheat and Pickens
Heyward and Ravenel
Pickens between Wheat and Green
Barnwell and Pendleton
Harden and Read
Harden and Calhoun
Franklin and Marion
Franklin and Sumter
Columbia College and N. Main
Bull and Laurel

Columbia officials encourage residents to avoid these areas during and immediately after weather events involving heavy rain.

This story is developing. Check back here for updates.

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South-Carolina

Could SC expand Medicaid? New group says NC shows it can get done

Published

16 hours ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

Could SC expand Medicaid? New group says NC shows it can get done

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – South Carolina remains one of 10 states that have opted to not expand Medicaid since it became an option about a decade ago.

A newly formed coalition of dozens of nonprofits and organizations are now calling on lawmakers to change that, but they face substantial opposition.

Medicaid expansion has long been something of a third rail at the South Carolina State House.

But supporters point to another state with a Republican-dominated legislature to show how it can get done: North Carolina.

“It wasn’t easy. It took us 10 years to get there,” North Carolina Republican state representative Donny Lambeth said during a news conference Tuesday in Columbia.

Since last December, the state of North Carolina reports more than half a million people have signed up for coverage under its newly expanded Medicaid eligibility.

A report the group Cover SC recently commissioned found around 340,000 South Carolinians could benefit from Medicaid expansion.

“Most are workers who don’t qualify for Medicaid but make too little to afford private insurance,” Teresa Arnold, the group’s co-chair, said.

When states expand Medicaid eligibility, the federal government covers 90% of the cost, while states are on the hook for the other 10%.

South Carolina’s share for the first year is around $270 million, but by year 10, it is estimated to grow to more than $380 million dollars.

But North Carolina crafted a deal in which hospitals pick up that 10% through an annual tax.

“We’ve constructed this in a way that’s not costing the state of North Carolina a single penny,” North Carolina Republican state senator Kevin Corbin said.

Earlier this year, Governor Henry McMaster vetoed an effort to take a closer look at South Carolina’s healthcare market, including Medicaid expansion.

The Republican governor remains firmly opposed to the option.

“This is our state,” McMaster told reporters Tuesday. “We have to do the right thing in our state, and to be taking taxpayer dollars from our citizens and be giving them to able-bodied, childless adults, childless, able-bodied adults, is not a wise expenditure of that money.”

But South Carolinian Cliff Arnold said people like him would benefit.

He said he was working until two years ago when his kidneys started failing.

Arnold, who uses a wheelchair, said his disability check is too much to qualify for Medicaid but is eaten up by his medical expenses each month.

“I’m just sweating to see if I can make it to the next check,” he said. “Having healthcare would really make a huge difference in how much we actually would be able to — it would actually put food in our refrigerator.”

While both Carolinas are home to legislatures dominated by Republicans, a key difference between them is who leads the executive branch.

While McMaster is a Republican, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is a Democrat and made Medicaid expansion a key priority.

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South-Carolina

Gov. McMaster declares state of emergency for South Carolina as Hurricane Helene approaches

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2024

Press Room

Gov. McMaster declares state of emergency for South Carolina as Hurricane Helene approaches

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) – On Wednesday, Governor McMaster declared a state of emergency in preparation for the landing of Hurricane Helene.

The governor’s order activates the South Carolina Emergency Operations Plan. This declaration directs the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) to coordinate with state agencies to prepare for assistance requests from local officials and county emergency management leaders.

“Although South Carolina will likely avoid the brunt of Hurricane Helene’s impacts, the storm is still expected to bring dangerous flooding, high winds, and isolated tornadoes to many parts of the state,” said Governor McMaster.

“This State of Emergency ensures that Team South Carolina has the necessary resources in place to respond to these potential impacts. South Carolinians in potentially affected areas should start to take precautions now and monitor local weather forecasts over the next several days.”

Hurricane Helene formed Tuesday and is rapidly strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico. Before making landfall in the Big Bend of Florida Thursday evening, Helene is likely to be a Major Hurricane, with sustained winds around 125 MPH.

The storm is expected to impact South Carolina and other southeastern states with strong winds, significant rainfall, flash flooding, and an enhanced risk of isolated tornadoes.

Watch WIS Thursday and Friday for First Alert Weather coverage as the hurricane makes its way through the Midlands.