Columbia, S.C. — An impending execution in South Carolina has come under scrutiny as defense attorneys for the inmate, Mikal Mahdi, seek to halt his scheduled death penalty, arguing that his initial defense during trial was inadequately brief and lacked depth. Mahdi is facing capital punishment on April 11 for the 2004 murder of an off-duty police officer in Calhoun County, a crime in which he ambushed the officer in his shed and set his body ablaze after shooting him multiple times.
Having pleaded guilty to the murder charges, Mahdi’s fate was determined by a judge rather than a jury. His current legal representation argues that the trial defense’s argument for sparing his life was remarkably brief, allegedly lasting about 30 minutes. The defense failed to present witnesses from Mahdi’s early life who could have shared insights into his turbulent upbringing characterized by severe trauma and emotional disturbances.
Born to a teenage mother in an arranged marriage, Mahdi endured a tumultuous childhood with a father who subjected his mother to abuse until she eventually fled, leaving her children behind. A pivotal point in Mahdi’s youth came when a school psychologist advised emotional and educational intervention following a suicide threat, yet Mahdi’s father pulled him out of school and subjected him to paramilitary training instead.
Mahdi spent his late teenage years mostly behind bars, with significant time in solitary confinement exacerbating his mental health issues, evidence that his current lawyers claim was omitted during his trial. Judge Clifton Newman, who presided over the case, was presented with testimony from 28 prosecution witnesses and only two defense witnesses.
The current lawyers argue that Mahdi’s comprehensive life history was reduced to simplistic points and limited testimony, impacting the sentencing decision. A previous appeal questioning the effectiveness of Mahdi’s trial lawyers was dismissed by a state court judge, and a federal court opted not to review the case, leaving Mahdi’s execution imminent.
His defense insists that considerations of justice necessitate a thorough hearing of new information before Mahdi’s execution proceeds. To date, the state has yet to respond to the latest appeal. Mahdi has until the end of March to make a choice between execution by firing squad, electric chair, or lethal injection.
Mahdi would become the fifth individual executed in South Carolina within a span of less than seven months. Previous inmates opted for various execution methods, with Brad Sigmon opting for the firing squad, and others choosing lethal injection.
The murder of Orangeburg public safety officer James Myers delineates part of Mahdi’s crime spree across multiple states, which began with the theft of a gun and vehicle in Virginia. His crimes extended into North Carolina with another murder and the threat against a law enforcement officer in Florida.
Judge Newman, during sentencing, highlighted the challenge in reconciling justice with mercy, expressing difficulty in recognizing humanity in Mahdi. Mahdi’s defense claims their client’s life shouldn’t be terminated due to shortcomings in his initial legal defense, stating that Judge Newman lacked the comprehensive information needed for a fair sentencing decision.