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South Carolina set to execute third death row inmate since September 2024


This undated photo shows Marion Bowman Jr. released by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, awaits execution on death row. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)
This undated photo shows Marion Bowman Jr. released by the South Carolina Department of Corrections, awaits execution on death row. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP)
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Friday, 44-year-old Marion Bowman Jr. is set to die by lethal injection after he was convicted of killing 21-year-old Kandee Martin in 2001. However, Bowman has continued to maintain his innocence.

A lawyer with Justice 360, an advocacy organization for equality in the justice system, is currently advocating for Bowman’s innocence.

They say this is frustrating and disheartening for Bowman and his lawyers. They also say Bowman doesn’t feel like he had an opportunity to tell his story at trial.

Since his conviction, Bowman’s lawyers have filed an appeal up to the U.S. supreme court asking for a stay of execution based on racial profiling.

READ MORE | South Carolina death row inmate maintains his innocence and won't ask for clemency

Lindsey Vann, the Executive Director of Justice 360, and who was appointed to represent Bowman, says that this is the ultimate punishment.

“We can't correct anything after an execution. And so how comfortable are we with the reliability of this conviction?"

Last month, Bowman wrote a four-page letter, detailing what he claims happened the day of Kandee Martin’s death from his perspective.

He said the last time he saw Martin, she was buying drugs from him, but he said he did not do anything to hurt her.

In fact, in his letter, Bowman says he saw Martin get into a car with another drug dealer, and the two of them left the apartments.

READ MORE | US Supreme Court rejects appeal of SC inmate a day before his execution

Bowman claims a friend of his was the one who told him Martin was dead.

“Mr. Bowman has maintained his innocence, all throughout his litigation,” said Vann. “His conviction was based on incentivized testimony. The other people who testified against him were getting deals from the prosecutors to, provide their testimony against Mr. Bowman. And we've uncovered information that his defense team wasn't adequately representing him and really was pressuring him to plead guilty despite not reviewing all of the discovery and not really preparing to confront the state's case at trial.”

Thursday, the US Supreme Court rejected Bowman's final appeal and Bowman has decided not to ask Governor Henry McMaster for clemency.

Advocates against the death penalty will be hosting a vigil for Bowman at 5:30 p.m.

His execution is scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday night at a Columbia prison.

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