A Black man sentenced to death by an all-white jury is set to be executed in South Carolina on Friday, despite his claim of self-defense. Richard Moore, 59, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6:00 pm (2200 GMT) in a Columbia prison, barring any last-minute intervention from the state’s governor.
Moore was sentenced to death in 2001 for the 1999 killing of James Mahoney, a white convenience store clerk, which prosecutors argued was a botched robbery attempt. His lawyers, however, claim Moore entered the store unarmed, intending to make a purchase but short by a few cents. A dispute with Mahoney ensued, leading to a struggle during which Mahoney allegedly drew two guns. Moore wrested one away, fatally shooting the clerk while suffering a wound himself.
Following the incident, prosecutors stated that Moore took $1,400, which he reportedly used to buy drugs before being apprehended. His lawyers argue the death penalty was racially motivated, claiming that no other South Carolina case has involved an unarmed defendant receiving a death sentence for defending against an armed threat. They also highlighted that all Black jurors were removed during jury selection.
The Supreme Court recently declined Moore’s request to stay the execution, and his last hope lies in a clemency appeal submitted to Governor Henry McMaster. Supporters, including Jon Ozmint, a former South Carolina Corrections Department director, argue that Moore has reformed, with Ozmint stating, “This would not have been a death penalty case in most states.”
In a clemency appeal video, Moore expressed remorse, saying, “I wish I could go back and change it. I took someone’s life.”
South Carolina is among the 27 states where the death penalty remains legal, though six other states have halted executions. The United States has carried out 20 executions this year, including one in South Carolina.
