A convicted killer met his end through a firing squad execution on death row yesterday. Stephen Bryant, aged 44, chose this method over the more common lethal injection or electric chair. He became the third person in South Carolina this year to face a firing squad, as three prison workers volunteered for the task.
Bryant had spent 21 years on death row for the murders of three men within a five-day period, including a father who sought his help with a broken-down car near Bryant’s residence. During the execution in South Carolina, family members of the victims served as witnesses.
The condemned man, Bryant, made no final statement and succumbed within minutes of the firing squad’s action. His execution marked the seventh in 14 months in South Carolina, following a 13-year hiatus due to issues acquiring lethal injection drugs.
In a separate incident, Florida executed its 16th person of the year, Bryan Frederick Jennings, for a heinous crime committed four decades ago. Bryant’s last meal request included a variety of seafood and sweets.
An attorney specializing in death penalty cases, Bo King, mentioned that Bryant had endured a troubled childhood marked by abuse and genetic disorders. King commended Bryant for his forgiveness towards his family and his compassion towards others.
Bryant had confessed to the killing of Willard “TJ” Tietjen in 2004 and two other men in separate incidents. He lured his victims by offering rides and then shooting them when they exited the vehicle. Authorities had issued warnings during the search for the killer, cautioning residents to be wary of strangers seeking assistance.