sigmon's attorney, bo king. why would your client choose to die this way? had repeatedly asked for the most basic facts about south carolina's lethal injection drugs. like, is it expired? have the drugs been diluted? have the drugs spoiled? and he was repeatedly refused that information. >> reporter: so he chose a firing squad? >> he chose the firing squad. >> reporter: sigmon was sentenced to death for killing his ex-girlfriend's parents, david and gladys larke, in 2001, beating them with a baseball bat. a crime he admitted to. how would you describe this form of execution? >> death may be difficult for anybody. but as far as ending a human life quickly, i think this is probably about as good as you can get. >> reporter: 23 states currently have the death penalty. five allow the use of a firing squad. >> this was an impossible choice, but between the prospect of dying strapped to a gurney over 20 minutes, drowning in the blood and fluid in your own lungs, as opposed to the firing squad, he made the only choice that he could. >> maurice: meg, how are people

that is how south carolina death row inmate brad sigmon chose to die.he fourth execution of its kind in 50 years. the 67-year-old was sentenced to death for killing his ex-girlfriend's parents with a baseball bat in 2002. his lawyer said he chose death by firing squad because there's fewer unknowns than lethal injection. >> it's going to break his bones and destroy his organs, but the alternative is potentially a excruciating 20-minute death. >> reporter: sigmon's execution carried out by three department of corrections volunteers, shooting live rounds of ammunition at his heart. >> i want it to be carried out as professionally as possible. they're pros, they rehearsed. >> reporter: death by firing squad is legal in four other states and arizona is considering the same. in a supreme court applplication,igmon's defense says in south carolina's last three lethal injections, inmate deaths took more than 20 minutes, citing state autopsies showing prisoners' lungs filled with blood and fluid, akin to drowning. >> death by firing squad happens almost immediat

. >> reporter: 67-year-old brad sigmon was legally shot to death. >> 50. >> reporter: the red bull'sye target over his heart for a three person firing squad. >> he was pronounced dead by a physician at 6:08 p.m. >> reporter: this is how the convicted murderer chose his own death. she was a witness. >> i did see a splash of blood when the bullets entered his body. >> reporter: sigmon was sentenced to death in 2002 in south carolina, convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend's parents, beating them with a baseball bat. his final exchange not with the family but his attorney. >> they were mouthing back and forth to each other. looked like he was just saying he was okay. >> reporter: death by firing squad is extremely rare in the u.s., this was the first of its kind in 15 years. his lawyer said sigmon chose fully informed. >> he knows it's going to break his bones and blow his heart apart. >> reporter: but the choice was to avoid what he calls the more painful method of lethal injection. >> he had to risk a 20-minute execution strapped to a gurney with his lungs filling with blood or flui

sigmon was forced to make a difficult choice.se a method he knew almost nothing about and chose instead to use the firing squad, which at the most information available. another option would be electrocuted in a 110-your old electric chair. amna: the firing squad method, how common is this nationally? robin: it is not allowed in many places. all three executions have taken place in the modern death penalty era and they have all taken place in utah. five states authorized firing squad. idaho is considering making it its primary method. amna: the couple that mr. sigmon killed were named gladys and david, his ex girlfriend's parents peered their adult children were split on what kind of penalty they wanted to see. when you look at where the american people are on this issue right now, according to gallup, support for the death penalty for people convicted of murder has been falling. 53% of people today are in favor of it. 43% of people are not in favor of it. what does that say to you? robin: there is a diversity of opinion about th

at that point, you did see a small red stain on sigmon chest. chest rose and fell about two times immediately after the shots. at that point, also, his arm tensed up when he got shot yeah, aaron, there's been a lot of conversation, obviously, about this firing squad method, but from everyone who's witnessed this and in fact, that man told us every execution he's witnessed, this was the quickest. >> it lasted about two minutes. the electric chair, of course, the last time it was used here in south carolina took several times to kill or execute the man who was being executed. in fact, at one point his eyes popped out of his head. so you understand how someone might want to avoid that lethal injection also didn't go very well here, so keeping that very tight. one thing that i will mention his last meal he wanted kentucky fried chicken. he had chicken, he had green beans and potatoes. he wanted to share with other inmates, but that didn't happen. aaron. >> all right. ryan, thank you very much. it's all very disturbing. next, trump claiming he's endi

brad sigmon has said that he killed his ex-girlfriend's parents. he used a baseball bat, went from room to room, back and forth as he killed them. then he kidnaped his ex-girlfriend and she was able to escape. he took a shot at her. and actually, when he said he did all this, he said he didn't want anyone else to have her. since then, he's found jesus and the bible, according to his attorney. but he's also decided he wanted to face that firing squad because he was worried that the electric chair was too brutal and lethal. injection was too brutal. we'll show you some new images that we just received in the last hour or so of the room where he will die in the corner. if you look at the top hand corner there, you'll see a chair that's uncovered. they will strap him into that chair. there will be three members of the firing squad who will take a shot at him. they will put a hood over his head. there will be a target placed over his heart. and then all three will fire live rounds toward him. when the witnesses who are in the room, they'll see a profile

amna: we just got a release of brad sigmon's final words.everal bible passages and also said i want my closing statement to be one of love and a calling to my fellow christians to help us and the death penalty. it's worth reminding people he chose this method firing squad in south carolina and this is part of what his lawyer told us about why. >> we know there is something wrong with how south carolina is carrying out lethal injections and he has repeatedly asked for the information that you would want to know why. but he has been denied that at every turn. even though the firing squad hasn't been used ever in south carolina and hasn't been used in the united states and 15 years, he chose that -- in 15 years, he chose that. it was the best choice he could make given all the information being kept from him. amna: what do we know about how executions have been carried out in south carolina? >> south carolina carried out its last two executions using lethal injection. the problem is that the autopsies of the men who were executed revealed that

authorities gave brad sigmon, convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend's parents, three options on how firing squad, electric chair and lethal injection. he chose firing squad despite it being considered cruel and unusual punishment in some states. i'm joined by jessica levinson, cbs news legal contributor and loyola law school professor. jessica, how is this an option that he could choose and why isn't it cruel and unusual? >> well, it's an option he can choose because some states, about five states, allow it to be an option. in some states, it can't be the primary option. in some states, you have to show there is essentially a problem with another method, like lethal injection, but as i read the current supreme court case law, it does not ban a firing squad. it lays out standards. all the way up until recently in 2019 when the court said as long as it doesn't create, meaning an execution method, a substantial risk of harm more than the alternative or a substantial risk of severe pain, then it would not be considered to violate the eighth amendment's prohibition against cruel and unus

the inmate brad sigmon chose to die this way. he was convicted of beating his ex-girlfriend's parents to death. sigmon attorney says the 67 year old opted for the firing squad over concerns about the state's lethal injection process. he also rejected death by electric chair, which his attorneys said would, quote, burn and cook him alive. the reverend hillary taylor is the executive director for south carolinians for alternatives to the death penalty, and sigmund's longtime spiritual advisor. reverend, thank you for being with us. and i just wonder is the clock is ticking at this point in time, what is on your mind? >> what is on our mind this afternoon? certainly holding brad and his family and also the people that are all involved in his case, his legal team and also the people that he has harmed. holding them all in prayer. making sure that everybody feels as supported and connected as possible to our movement. people who are far away, and also people who are local, and also making sure that when we hold vigil and protest outsi

so sigmon chose the firing squad. he has asked the governor and the u.s.supreme court to intervene, but it is unlikely that will happen. death by firing squad is allowed in five states, but is rarely chosen. that could soon change. idaho may make it the state's primary method of execution. joining us now is cnn legal analyst joey jackson. i got to tell you, hearing firing squad in 2025 sounds absolutely barbaric. i didn't realize that inmates had a choice in some states. >> yeah, you know. >> it does vary. >> good morning to you, sarah. >> it varies by state. but firing. >> squad. >> you. >> would think, hey, how inhumane. >> there's a school of thought which would suggest that this. >> is even more humane than other methods. why? >> you're familiar with. we talked about old sparky. and florida. >> where they were having issues with respect. >> to the electrocution, the. >> electric chair, what was doing, and burning people. >> that's probably. >> what this person who's going to die alluded to. and then, of course, there's been issues as it relates to the

brad sigmon was shot to death today by a corrections officer right in the chest. sigmon requested death by firing squad over electric chair and lethal injection. magic johnson, mike myers and john fetterman up next. >> i personalize the outer packaging of the coffee, and i made a tiktok. when i went viral, i had over 1200 orders and over $25,000 in sales. had it not been for tiktok, caffeine pros would not be around today. >> here you go. >> is there any way to get a better. >> price on this? >> have you checked singlecare? whenever my customers ask how to get a better price on their meds, i tell them about singlecare. it's a free app accepted at pharmacies nationwide. >> before i pick up my prescription, i always check the singlecare price. >> it's quick, easy, and totally free to use. >> single care can literally beat my insurance copay. >> you just search for your prescription and show your single care coupon at the pharmacy. >> so i just show the coupon and get this price. >> that's right. go to singlecare.com and start saving today. a heart attack. do they ha

>> brad sigmon chose this method of death, and nbc news can confirm as of

. >> carolina man executed by firing squad for the first time in 15 years, brad sigmon, was pronounced dead at 6:08 p.m. friday after being shot by three prison employee volunteers. the 67 year old chose a firing squad because his lawyer considered it a better option than the electric chair or lethal injection. sigmon killed his ex-girlfriend's parents with a baseball bat in 2001, during a botched plan to kidnap their daughter. i'm chanley painter. now back to hannity. >> all right. the trump administration, they are sending a clear message tonight. anti-semitic protests on college campuses need to end and end now. they are taking decisive action to make sure that that happens. and earlier today, the departments of justice, health and human services, education all announced they are revoking $400 million in federal grants for columbia university, which has been the hotbed of anti-israel activity in america since october the 7th. the university says they are committed to combating anti-semitism. is that a bad joke? and pledges to work with the federal government to get their money back?

sigmon chose it, though, over the state's default one.ecause of its concerns over south carolina's recent executions that took multiple tries. paul butler is back with me. the death penalty was reinstated in 1977. and yet here we are, state by state, sometimes execution by execution, decision making process, regardless of anyone's feelings about capital punishment. what does it say, paul, about our country, that we don't have a consensus on how to carry this out? >> it means that maybe we should reconsider the ultimate punishment, especially when the alternative is life without life imprisonment, without the possibility of parole. which means that if we're concerned about people being on the streets and committing further crime, that wouldn't happen. so there is not a lot of majority support for the death penalty. as you mentioned, south carolina before, last year hadn't executed anyone in over 12 years, and our country hasn't relied so much on firing squads. chris, there have been fewer than four executions by firing squad since 1977. an

firing from 15ft away at the same time to shoot this double murderer in the heart. 67 year old brad sigmon chose to die this way over the electric chair and lethal injection. after a number of executions using injections have gone wrong. states have had trouble getting the right chemicals, and prison officials in the death chamber have struggled using needles and finding veins. sigman's attorney says a firing squad felt more humane. >> knowing that. >> the bullets are going to break the bones in his chest and destroy his heart, or risk a 20 minute long execution strapped to a gurney with your lungs filling with blood and fluid. this is an impossible choice. >> across america, nearly two dozen states have a death penalty, and most of them are still by lethal injection. but now five states allow firing squads. in idaho last year, they tried eight times to kill this serial killer by lethal injection and failed. on wednesday, lawmakers, in response, passed a bill to make a firing squad the state's primary death penalty. and south carolina tonight, brad sigmund's ex-girlfriend told usa today to

. >> brad sigmon took several pretty deep. >> breaths. >> and then. >> suddenly the. >> shots rang out >> at that. >> point. >> you did. >> see a small. >> red stain. >> on sigmund's chest. >> his chest rose and. >> fell about two times. >> immediately after. >> the shots at that point also his arm tensed up when he got shot. >> a medical professional walked into the room to check on mr. sigmund and he was pronounced dead. what we know is that mr. sigmund did ask for his final meal to be kfc, which was fried chicken, green beans, potatoes and sweet tea. his lawyer told us that he wanted to share that with other inmates, but that wasn't allowed. ryan young, cnn, columbia, south carolina. >> and thank you, ryan, for that reporting. 50 minutes past the hour. right now, we are following a lot of stories. we also want to get you caught up in the world of sports as well. so still to come, the cleveland cavaliers rallied to extend their 13 game winning streak. we're going to bring you some of the highlights coming up. >> hi everybody. >> you see. >> people from radically different. >> views i

brad sigmon is 67 and will be the oldest inmate executed by the state.ecutions in september after a 13 year pause. >> two men have been arrested, accused of trying to kill a possible witness in the corruption case involving recalled oakland mayor shengtao. according to the chronicle, the men shot at mario juarez back in june but did not hit him. it's believed that juarez provided key evidence against tao and others involved in the case. oakland police have not said if the attempted killing was related to juarez's involvement in the case. according to the paper, federal documents suggest that corruption investigation and the shooting are connected. >> coming up, the new costco store in brentwood is still buzzing after its grand opening. we showed it to you live around 730. now what had shoppers waiting in line for hours in the cold and dark is already off the shelves. and why? if you want a calm shopping experience there, you may have to wait a while. also, daylight saving time returns this weekend. even just an hour less sleep can take a real toll on you

brad sigmon, a prisoner on south carolina's death row, is scheduled to die by firing squad on fridayess the governor decides to commute his sentence to life in prison. sigman received the death penalty for the 2001 double murder of his ex-girlfriend's parents. his lawyer says that sigman chose the firing squad because he was afraid that the state's usual execution methods, the electric chair and lethal injection, would not result in his immediate death and death by firing squad could become the primary method of execution in the state of idaho. that's if the governor signs a bill that the state senate passed on wednesday. it would take effect next year. firing squad execution has been the backup to legal or lethal injections in idaho since 2023. the bill sponsors suggesting that shooting someone was more effective and humane than other execution methods. to alaska now, where three skiers are believed to be buried under an avalanche. they had been taken by helicopter to a mountain ski area near the city of anchorage, only for the avalanche to overwhelm them. this happened tuesday afte

become the first person executed by firing squad in the united states in 15 years. 67 year old brad sigmon spent more than two decades on death row for double murder. double murder? his lawyer says he opted for bullets because three lethal injections on another condemned inmate inflicted, quote, prolonged and potentially torturous deaths. sigmund's legal team called last night's execution horrifying and violent. cnn's legal analyst joey jackson joins us now. joey, this was only the fourth firing squad execution in nearly half a century. and to just get some context around this, back in 2021, south carolina passed a law that would allow for the use of firing squads in state executions. that legislation, partially motivated by the state's inability to get lethal injection drugs. do you think americans should be surprised that that this is that people are dying with the through the death penalty, with a firing by firing squad? >> yeah. >> you know, jessica, this. >> is. >> somewhat different as we know. and i know. >> society changes. >> all the time. >> norms change. values change. >> a lot.