South Carolina death row inmate dies by state’s first lethal injection in 13 years

Inmate Spent Decades on Death Row

Richard Bernard Moore, 57, of Greenville, South Carolina, was pronounced dead at 6:22 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at the Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville, S.C., following the administration of a lethal injection.

SC Governor Approved Execution

Moore was sentenced to death in 1999 for the murders of James Mahoney, 42; Mahoney’s wife, Gail, 39; and their teenage daughters, Amanda, 18, and Melissa, 14, after Moore’s botched attempt to rob their home.

South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed Moore’s death warrant in March, clearing the way for the state’s first execution since 2011.

SC Death Penalty Protests

Outside the prison, protesters gathered to demonstrate against the death penalty. Some held signs that read “Stop the killing” and “End the death penalty.”

Lethal Injection Process

Moore was strapped to a gurney in the execution chamber and given a lethal dose of the drug pentobarbital through an IV line inserted into his arm.

About a minute after the drug was administered, Moore appeared to lose consciousness. His chest stopped rising and falling about three minutes later.

Moore did not make a final statement before his execution.

Death Penalty Debate Continues

Moore’s execution is likely to reignite the debate over the death penalty in South Carolina and across the United States.

Opponents of the death penalty argue that it is cruel and unusual punishment and that there is no evidence that it deters crime.

Supporters of the death penalty argue that it is a just punishment for certain crimes and that it does deter crime.