Double murderer opts for lethal injection after firing squad controversy

A South Carolina man on death row who had been considering death by firing squad has made the decision to opt for lethal injection instead. Stephen Stanko, convicted of two separate murders, had been weighing his options after witnessing another inmate seemingly suffer during a botched firing squad execution.

Stanko’s attorneys explained to him that lethal injection would involve a lethal dose of pentobarbital injected into his veins, resulting in a rush of fluid into the lungs that may feel like drowning. While medical experts hired by the state claim that the drugs render the inmate unconscious before any pain is felt, experts hired by inmates argue that the rush of fluid can indeed feel like drowning.

The U.S. Supreme Court denied a delay to Stanko’s June 13 execution, prompting him to make a final decision on his method of death. In addition to lethal injection and firing squad, Stanko could have also chosen the electric chair as his means of execution.

The decision to opt for lethal injection came after the autopsy of Mikal Mahdi, another death row inmate who was executed by firing squad in April. Mahdi’s lawyers claimed that he may have been in excruciating pain for up to a minute after all bullets missed his heart, leading to a prolonged and painful death.

Stanko’s crimes date back to April 2006 when he brutally murdered his girlfriend, Laura Ling, and raped her teenage daughter before slitting her throat. He then proceeded to shoot his 74-year-old friend, Henry Turner, to death and steal his truck. Stanko was sentenced to death twice for these heinous crimes.

South Carolina resumed executions in September after a 13-year hiatus due to a lack of lethal injection drugs. Pharmacies had refused to provide more drugs unless a new secrecy law protected their privacy. The state has since resumed carrying out death sentences, offering inmates like Stanko a choice in their method of execution.

The decision to opt for lethal injection over firing squad highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the most humane method of execution. Despite conflicting opinions from experts, inmates facing death row must ultimately make a difficult decision that will determine the manner of their end.