'None of this makes sense:' Advocates hold vigil, protest ahead of Freddie Owens execution
COLUMBIA ― The night before South Carolina is set to resume executions after more than a decade, a group gathered downtown at Washington Street United Methodist Church Thursday to remember Freddie Owens, a Greenville man scheduled to die by lethal injection.
Some in the crowd of about two dozen call Columbia home, others traveled from Charleston. One traveled from Asheville, North Carolina to "stand in solidarity."
Ron Kaz has traveled from Charleston to Columbia to protest 43 executions since Joseph Carl Shaw was executed in 1985. Owens, whose death is set for 6 p.m. Friday, is no exception.
"I'm a big believer in human rights," Kaz said. "You can't believe in human rights and accept the death penalty. I don't think states have the right to kill their own people and I particularly resent it when they're doing it in my name."
During the vigil, Rob Lee, an attorney representing Owens, spoke about his client.
"So often we know people on death row either by the worst thing that they've ever done or the worst thing that has ever happened to them, but not about the ways that they show resilience or experience joy," Rev. Hillary Taylor, executive director of South Carolinians Against the Death Penalty, said while introducing Lee.
Lee said that the Owens he knows "bears little representation" to the person portrayed in the media. He told the story of Owens as a young boy who tried to save a litter of puppies thrown into a river. "He was unsuccessful, but it was a particularly heroic effort because he could not swim."
He recounted how Owens encouraged his niece to write a history report on Queen Amanirenas, a Nubian queen who fought against Ceaser when the Romans attempted to invade. Nobody knew who Amanirenas was and doubted she existed, he said, but later, her teacher recommended she bring more historical recommendations from Owens.
"I hope you will mourn with us in the loss of this person," Lee said.
The vigil also recognized Irene Graves and Christopher Lee, along with their families. Owens was accused of shooting and killing Graves in 1997. After he was convicted, he confessed to killing Lee, who was his cellmate.
'Disgrace'
The vigil was followed by a peaceful protest outside the governor's mansion as anti-death penalty activists continued to urge Gov. Henry McMaster to grant Owens clemency.
More: Activists deliver petition asking Gov. McMaster to grant clemency to Freddie Owens
On Wednesday, Owens' attorneys filed an emergency motion asking the state's Supreme Court to reconsider its original denial to delay his execution after submitting an affidavit from Owens' co-defendant who said Owens was not at the convenience store that was robbed in 1997 when Graves was shot.
Thursday afternoon, the state's high court denied the motion.
"We are disappointed by the South Carolina Supreme Court's decision not to intervene in Freddie Owens's case. South Carolina is on the verge of executing a man for a crime he did not commit. We will continue to advocate for Mr. Owens," Gerald "Bo" King, a member of Owens' defense, said in an emailed statement.
Owens' remaining hope relies on McMaster to grant him clemency, something a South Carolina governor has not done since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
McMaster said last week he will announce his decision on clemency on the day of the execution.
"I want to live in a state I'm proud of and this is a disgrace," said Galen McWilliams, a Columbia resident at the vigil. As a person of faith and a social worker, "none of this makes sense to me."
Savannah Moss covers politics for the Greenville News. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on X @Savmoss.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina advocates hold vigil ahead of Freddie Owens execution
