COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's Supreme Court has not set a date for the state's next execution after lawyers for four inmates out of appeals asked them to postpone deaths until after Christmas and New Year's.
The justices typically issue notices on Fridays because it gives the maximum amount of time of 28 days to prepare for the execution which by law is to be carried out on the “fourth Friday after the receipt of such notice.”
The Supreme Court also promised in August to space out the executions in five week intervals to give prison staff and defense lawyers, who are often representing several condemned inmates, time to handle all the legal matters necessary. That includes making sure the lethal injection drugs as well as the electric chair and firing squad are ready and researching and filing last minute appeals.
South Carolina’s death chamber has a backlog because of a 13-year pause in executions in part because the state couldn’t obtain the drugs needed to carry out lethal injections until the General Assembly passed a law keeping the name of the provider secret.
Six inmates ran out of appeals during that time. Two have been executed and four are awaiting their fate.
The justices could have issued a death warrant this past Friday for Marion Bowman Jr. that would have been carried out on Dec. 6.
But the day passed with no word from the Supreme Court, including what the justices thought of the request from the inmates last Tuesday to take a break from executions until early January.
“Six consecutive executions with virtually no respite will take a substantial toll on all involved, particularly during a time of year that is so important to families,” the lawyers for the inmates wrote in court papers.
Attorneys for the state responded that prison officials were ready to keep to the original schedule and the state has conducted executions around the Christmas and New Year’s holidays before, including five between Dec. 4, 1998, and Jan. 8, 1999.
Bowman, 44, was convicted of murder in the shooting of friend 21-year-old Kandee Martin whose burned body was found in the trunk of her car in Dorchester County in 2001. Bowman has spent more than half his life on death row.
Bowman would be the third inmate executed since September after the state obtained the drug it needed to carry out the death sentence. Freddie Owens was put to death by lethal injection Sept. 20 and Richard Moore was executed on Nov. 1,
South Carolina was among the busiest states for executions back then, but that stopped once the state had trouble obtaining lethal injection drugs because of pharmaceutical companies’ concerns they would have to disclose they had sold the drugs to officials.
The state Legislature has since passed a law allowing officials to keep lethal injection drug suppliers secret, and in July, the state Supreme Court cleared the way to restart executions.
A protestor looks on prior to the scheduled execution of Richard Moore, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, outside of Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia , S.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
This undated photo provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the witness room in the execution chamber at the Broad River Correctional Institution in Columbia, S.C. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)
The first stage of Mohamed Salah’s rehabilitation at Liverpool is complete after the Egypt forward returned to the team for its 2-0 win over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday.
The question now as Salah heads off to the Africa Cup of Nations: Is there a future for him at Anfield when he comes back?
Salah, who let rip last weekend about his current frustrations at Liverpool, entered as a 26th-minute substitute to a big ovation and set up the second of Hugo Ekitike’s goals as the defending champion extended its unbeaten run to five games in all competitions.
Also Saturday, Chelsea beat Everton 2-0 and was set on its way to victory by Cole Palmer’s first goal in three months. First-place Arsenal hosts last-place Wolverhampton later.
Salah held talks with Liverpool manager Arne Slot on Friday in an effort to overcome their issues and the result was that Salah was recalled to the matchday squad for the Brighton game. He had been a substitute for the last three Premier League matches before being left at home for the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan as a punishment for his explosive comments to reporters last weekend.
“It was an easy decision to put him in the squad," Slot said. “I have said many times before what has been said between us will stay between us.”
Liverpool's fans demonstrated they are willing to excuse Salah for his show of anger and gave him a rapturous welcome when he came on as a substitute for the injured Joe Gomez midway through the first half.
By then, Liverpool was leading 1-0 thanks to Ekitike's rising shot inside the first minute and Salah showed glimpses of his class, especially on the counterattack. It was Salah's corner kick that was headed in by Ekitike for the second goal in the 60th, sparking another round of chants for the Egyptian.
Slot said Salah was a threat all game.
“Pleasing to see but not a surprise,” Slot said.
Salah could be away for more than a month if Egypt goes all the way in the Africa Cup.
It was a second straight start for Palmer, whose season has been blighted by a groin injury that has restricted him to seven games in all competitions.
There looked to be nothing wrong with Palmer when he ran onto Malo Gusto's pass and slipped a finish inside the near post to give Chelsea the lead in the 21st minute at Stamford Bridge.
However, Palmer said after the game that he wasn't at his best yet because he was “still dealing with an injury.”
“It’s just a matter of not doing too much too soon,” Palmer told the BBC. “Literally, it’s just a day-by-day thing. Hopefully it gets better.”
Gusto added the second goal in the 45th minute for Chelsea, which jumped to fourth place.
Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
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Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates after scoring his sides first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Everton in London, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)
Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool fans hold placard depicting Liverpool's Mohamed Salah before the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, left, challenges for the ball with Brighton's Lewis Dunk during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
