South-Carolina
The son of a South Carolina inmate urges the governor to save his father from execution
COLUMBIA, S.C. — COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Richard Moore never meant to kill anyone the night he robbed a South Carolina convenience store and the Black man was convicted by a jury with no African Americans, his son and lawyers say as they fight to save the inmate from execution next month.
Moore went unarmed into a Spartanburg County store to rob it in 1999, took a gun from a clerk when it was pointed at him and fatally shot the clerk in the chest as the two struggled.
The inmate’s son, Lyndall Moore, said his father is now the only prisoner left on the state’s death row convicted by a jury without any Black people.
“He’s a human being who made mistakes,” Moore added. “And this particular mistake led to the death of another human being. But his sentence is completely disproportionate to the actual crime.”
South Carolina ended a 13-year pause on executions last month with the lethal injection of Freddie Owens. Moore is set to be executed Nov. 1.
Moore’s lawyers have urged the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the execution, saying a lower court should review whether it was fair that no African Americans were on the jury that considered Moore’s fate in Spartanburg County, which was 20% Black in the 2000 U.S. Census.
They also hope Moore will become the first South Carolina inmate whose death sentence is commuted to life without parole since executions in the U.S. resumed in 1976.
Only South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster can grant clemency. A former prosecutor, McMaster didn’t grant it for Owens and has said previously that he tends to trust juries and the court system.
But Moore’s family and lawyers contend executing Moore is too harsh a punishment. In a state where the governor and prison director have made a priority of getting inmates to turn their lives around, Moore’s spotless record behind bars and his reputation for helping other inmates merits a reprieve, they say.
“He’s very remorseful and sorry for the horrible, tragic decisions he made in his life. But he spent the past 20 years really trying to make up for that by loving the people he still has in his life,” attorney Lindsey Vann said.
Moore killed clerk James Mahoney, 40, a man with some disabilities who loved his family and tried to take care of co-workers.
The prosecutors in Moore’s case included Trey Gowdy, a Republican who later served four terms in Congress, and Barry Barnette, currently the solicitor in Spartanburg County. Both have declined comment, with Gowdy saying the 1999 trial speaks for itself.
In asking the jury to sentence Moore to death, Gowdy reminded them of Moore’s criminal record for stealing and robbing to gain drug money.
He focused on how after shooting Mahoney, Moore — also shot in the arm in the struggle — walked over the dying clerk’s body looking for cash.
“The hopes and the goals and the dreams of a 40-year-old man are coming out of his heart, and the cold, wet drops of blood of a career criminal are dripping on his back,” Gowdy said. “There is a time for mercy, ladies and gentlemen. That time has come and gone.”
Moore’s supporters said the trial represents plenty that is wrong about the death penalty in South Carolina, how arbitrary it is because prosecutors can make political points by bringing a number of death penalty cases when the cases don’t represent the worst of unrepentant, cruel and heinous criminals.
And then there is the problem of a jury without Black representation, Vann said.
“I’m really struck by the image that I’ve had of Richard’s trial where there’s a white prosecutor, white judge, white defense attorneys, an all-white jury and he’s the only person in the room who is African American and he’s being judged by a jury who has no one who looks like him,” Vann said.
Moore has had two prior execution dates, both postponed at a time when the state only had the electric chair and a firing squad. Since then, lethal injection has been added as an option, aided by passage of a law allowing suppliers of lethal injection drugs to remain secret.
Lyndall Moore said the more people get to know his father, the more they realize what a tragedy it would be to take an awful thing Richard Moore did in killing a man and make it worse by taking someone who turned their life around and tried to give something back.
He said he hopes McMaster would take the time to really get to know his father, not just glance at a file on his desk.
“He’s not some menacing figure. He’s just a regular dude. … He’s had a lot of time to think about, to reflect on what’s gotten him to this point. He’s very clearly, very obviously regretful of everything,” Lyndall Moore said.
Richard Moore told The Post and Courier of Charleston in 2022 that his lawyers advised him not to reach out to Mahoney’s family, but if he did, he would let them know he is “truly, truly sorry that he died at the hands of my actions.”
“I am not the same person I was the night I took Mr. Mahoney’s life. I have grown. I feel as though I still have a story to tell,” Moore said.
VIDEO: What to bring to vote in the South Carolina primary elections
What to bring to vote in the 2026 South Carolina primary elections.
Primary election day has arrived in Upstate South Carolina. And voters heading to the polls today, June 9, may want to keep an eye on the weather before stepping out to cast their ballot.
According to the National Weather Service in Greenville–Spartanburg, showers and thunderstorms are expected through the afternoon and evening of June 9. With heavy rainfall possible across parts of the Upstate.
Forecasters warn that the chances of storms could increase early in the afternoon, then taper off later tonight. Some areas could also see isolated flooding as slow‑moving storms develop.
As voters head to the polls, the weather may end up playing just as much of a role in the day as the races themselves.
Soggy skies ahead for South Carolina primary
As reported by the National Weather Service, a sharp trough sliding in today is about to stir things up across South Carolina.
The atmosphere is already setting the stage for a soggy, storm‑filled afternoon on June 9. It’s a day where showers and thunderstorms become increasingly common as a weak backdoor front hangs around just long enough to keep things unsettled.
Severe weather isn’t expected to be a major player, but it’s not completely off the table either.
Greenville, Upstate SC weather outlook for June 9 primary
- June 9: Showers likely before 11 a.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. Calm winds become south-southwest around 6 mph in the afternoon. Precipitation chance is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
- Tonight: A 30% chance of showers before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind around 5 mph, becomes calmer in the evening. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible.
Travis Jacque Rose is the trending news reporter for the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at trose@gannett.com.
South-Carolina
South Carolina Republicans try to extend winning streak as Sen. Lindsey Graham seeks fifth term
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina voters on Tuesday are aiming to winnow the field in high-profile races for governor and U.S. Senate, with Republicans seeking to maintain a statewide winning streak that stretches back decades.
Republican contenders have trumpeted their loyalty to President Donald Trump, who has remained popular in the state despite some nationwide wavering as the war with Iran continues. Sen. Lindsey Graham, among Trump’s top allies on Capitol Hill, notched the president’s endorsement before his campaign had even begun.
In the governor’s race, Trump backed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette over several opponents, including U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace. The primary will determine whether the endorsement can help Evette win outright or if there will be a runoff on June 23.
Democrats are searching for their first victory in a statewide race here in 20 years, but their campaigns for governor and Senate will be an uphill climb.
GOP governor candidates have played largely to Trump
Competition among Republicans for Trump’s support has seemed more intense than any other facet of the primary campaign.
Even before Evette received the president’s endorsement, she frequently featured photos and videos of herself with Trump in campaign materials. She was backed by outgoing Gov. Henry McMaster, a longstanding ally of Trump whose support telegraphed the president’s own.
Mace also wanted Trump’s support, and he endorsed her congressional reelection in 2024 even though she criticized his actions of Jan. 6, 2021, when his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
Rep. Ralph Norman, among the most conservative members of the House and a member of the Freedom Caucus, strongly supported Trump in the president’s first term. But in the 2024 campaign, Norman stumped for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley instead of Trump.
Rom Reddy, a coastal businessman who has eschewed campaign donations and self-funded his effort, has touted his lack of political experience as an asset, drawing comparisons between Trump and himself.
Graham, backed by Trump, hopes to bounce Lynch en route to 5th term
South Carolina’s other top contest Tuesday is its Senate race, where Graham is competing for the Republican nomination as he seeks a fifth term. A political confidant and regular golfing partner of the president, Graham has routinely batted back primary challengers over the years. Some of this year’s contenders — including Project 2025 chief architect Paul Dans and former Lt. Gov. André Bauer — dropped out months ago.
Although their relationship has undulated through the years, Graham has remained close with Trump, who fulfilled the senator’s longstanding wish for direct confrontation between Washington and Tehran. Graham cheered Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and recently said he often speaks to the president about the ongoing conflict.
Among Graham’s primary foes are including Greenville businessman Mark Lynch, who has said Graham isn’t conservative enough to represent the state. Calling himself an “America First” candidate, Lynch has campaigned as a Trump supporter, but on social media the president has called him a “lunatic” and a “disaster for the Republican Party.”
Winning statewide in November remains a tall order for SC Democrats
Democrats haven’t won the governor’s office or a Senate seat in South Carolina for decades.
McMaster defeated his opponent by nearly 18 percentage points in 2022. Graham won by 10 points in 2020, defeating Jaime Harrison after the most expensive race in state history.
Some Democrats hope to capitalize on dissatisfaction with Trump this year. In the governor’s race, State Rep. Jermaine Johnson, seen as a rising star in the party, is facing several opponents, including political newcomer Billy Webster, a payday loan company founder who lent his campaign $2 million. There’s also attorney Mullins McLeod, who withstood calls from party leaders to shutter his campaign after dashcam video of his 2025 disorderly conduct arrest was released.
In the Senate race, Charleston physician Annie Andrews — who unsuccessfully challenged Mace in 2022 — is vying for the Democratic nomination against Brandon Brown, a funeral homeowner and former House candidate.
___
Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
Breaking down UCLA’s NCAA Championship win over South Carolina
USAT’s Mitch Northam gives insight into UCLA’s first National Championship title in women’s basketball over South Carolina.
Sports Pulse
Team USA women’s basketball has several college stars to thank for its latest gold medal.
On June 7, the USA women’s basketball 3×3 roster secured gold with a 21-20 win over Australia at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Warsaw, Poland. The victory comes after a gritty 19-18 overtime win over Azerbaijan in the semifinals. The winning group included South Carolina’s Joyce Edwards, LSU’s Mikaylah Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley, plus Oklahoma forward Saraha Williams.
Since the event began in 2012, the American women have medaled five times, including four gold medals (2012, 2014, 2023, 2026) and one bronze (2016).
Mikaylah Williams, who made the game-winning basket to push the USA out in front, also walked away with MVP honors. She scored a team-high nine points in the matchup. Mikaylah led the team in scoring with 6.6 points per matchup a joined Cameron Brink (2023) as the only other American woman to take home an MVP award.
“I’m blessed to be on this stage, to play with some amazing teammates, to play for some amazing coaches and to rep USA,,” Williams said postgame.
Edwards, a star at South Carolina, has the led Gamecocks to two national title games. The 6-foot-3 forward was a consensus All-American as a sophomore this past season, averaging 19.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 57.1% from the floor.
Mikaylah Williams has started in 105 of the 106 games she’s played at LSU and was named to first-team All-SEC for a second time this past season. Over her career, Mikaylah has averaged 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 39.3% from 3-point range.
Edwards and Fulwiley previously played together at South Carolina during the 2024-25 season before Fulwiley transferred to LSU, where she plays alongside Mikaylah Williams. Fulwiley has won the SEC’s Sixth Player of the Year twice and has also been named to an All-Region team in the NCAA Tournament twice. Last season, Fulwiley averaged 14.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks per game.
Sahara Williams averaged 12.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 46.1% from the floor this past season for the Sooners. She helped Oklahoma make the Sweet 16 during the 2026 NCAA Tournament, where the Sooners fell to Edwards and South Carolina.
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