In the lead-up to his planned execution, an inmate currently on death row in South Carolina has submitted a petition for mercy to Governor Henry McMaster. The request seeks to have his sentenced commuted from death to life imprisonment.
Mikal Mahdi is scheduled to execution by firing squad On April 11, at 6 p.m., execution was scheduled at a Columbia prison for the murder of an off-duty Orangeburg police officer.
Mahdi would become only the second person in the state's history to be executed by firing squad.
On Wednesday, David Weiss, who is part of Mahdi’s legal team, released a statement addressing Mahdi’s request for clemency:
We urge Governor Henry McMaster to consider the full scope of the situation. To acknowledge Mikal Mahdi’s inherent human worth, profound regret, and evolution into an insightful and eager individual, even after enduring years of childhood hardship and mistreatment.
Mr. Mahdi’s existence tells a sorrowful tale of a youngster who faced abandonment time and again. In his early years, he saw his father subject his mother to repeated and harsh beatings. When Mr. Mahdi was just four years old, his mother escaped from the torment, abandoning him and his sibling alongside an unstable father struggling with severe psychological issues.
In second grade, Mikal was already grappling with thoughts of suicide. When he reached fifth grade, educators attempted to provide him with the necessary support, yet his father refused this assistance. Instead, he took Mikal out of school and subjected him to paranoid delusions about conspiracies along with rigorous survivalist drills every day in the forest. At age 14, Mikal found himself within the criminal justice system after engaging in acts of vandalism and theft, essentially remaining incarcerated thereafter. From ages 14 to 21, more than four-fifths of Mikal’s life was spent behind bars, enduring approximately 8,000 hours in solitary confinement—often as punishment for trivial infractions such as not keeping his shirt tucked in. It is now broadly acknowledged that isolating juveniles in prison constitutes a form of torment.
We acknowledge the anguish, hardship, and pointless destruction brought about by Mr. Mahdi’s offenses, yet this situation underscores the purpose of mercy. The proceeding for Mikal’s sentence felt like a mockery. Despite his legal defense failing to highlight the psychological wounds that influenced his actions, he was condemned to death when he was just 21 years old. At 42 now, Mikal expresses deep regret and has transformed into an entirely distinct individual compared to the troubled, enraged, and mistreated young man responsible for these severe crimes.
We implore Governor McMaster to take into consideration the complete narrative of Mikal’s life. Recognize the profound impact of the trauma, abuse, and neglect he faced. Examine the scientific evidence demonstrating the detrimental effects of Mikal’s teenage years spent in solitary confinement. Ultimately, understand that delivering justice should be balanced with compassion—particularly since the system has utterly let down Mikal to such a great extent."
If Governor McMaster does not grant clemency, Mahdi’s execution will take place within fewer than 40 days. Brad Sigmon , another prisoner sentenced to die, died by firing squad .
Since executions restarted last fall, McMaster has not granted clemency to any death row inmates.
