In a rare and grim event, a triple murderer has been executed by firing squad in the United States after spending more than two decades on death row.
Stephen Bryant, 44, was put to death on Friday night at a prison in South Carolina, choosing this method over the more common lethal injection or electric chair.
A Gruesome Choice and a Long Wait
Bryant's execution makes him only the third person to die by firing squad in South Carolina this year. The procedure was carried out by three volunteer prison employees who used live ammunition.
He had spent 21 years on death row for the murders of three men over a five-day period in October 2004. His execution marks the seventh carried out by South Carolina in just 14 months, following a 13-year hiatus due to an inability to obtain lethal injection drugs.
The Shocking Crimes
Bryant's killing spree began when he murdered a man who had simply asked for help after his car broke down near Bryant's home. The victim, Willard "TJ" Tietjen, was shot several times.
In a chilling act, Bryant answered Tietjen's ringing phone and informed both his wife and daughter that he was a prowler and that he had killed him.
Authorities stated that Bryant killed two other men in a similar fashion during the same period, offering them rides and then shooting them in the back when they stepped out of the vehicle to urinate.
Final Moments and Broader Context
For his final meal, Bryant ordered an extensive spread including a spicy mixed seafood stir-fry, fried fish over rice, egg rolls, stuffed prawns, two sweets, and a slice of German chocolate cake.
During the execution, three family members of his victims served as witnesses and held hands. Bryant offered no final statement and died within minutes of the shots impacting.
His lawyer, Bo King, had previously argued that Bryant suffered from a genetic disorder and endured significant childhood trauma, including sexual and physical abuse by relatives and damage from his mother's binge drinking.
Meanwhile, Florida has executed a record 16 people this year, including Bryan Frederick Jennings, who was given a lethal injection for the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl decades ago.
