A shocking revelation emerges as Freddie Owens faces imminent execution in South Carolina for a 1997 convenience store clerk killing.
According to CBS News, Steven Golden, a key witness whose testimony contributed to Owens' conviction, recanted his statement just hours before the scheduled execution. Golden now claims he lied during the trial to save himself from potential death penalty charges.
Owens is set to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Friday in a Columbia prison, marking South Carolina's first execution in 13 years. The case has taken a dramatic turn with Golden's new sworn statement, filed by Owens' lawyers on Wednesday, asserting that Owens was not present at the crime scene when Irene Graves was killed during a robbery.
Golden's recent statement contradicts his original testimony, citing various reasons for his alleged false account. He claims that cocaine intoxication, police pressure, and fear of retaliation from the actual perpetrator influenced his decision to implicate Owens.
In his latest sworn statement, Golden wrote:
I thought the real shooter or his associates might kill me if I named him to police. I am still afraid of that. But Freddie was not there.
Golden's motivation for coming forward now, as he explains, is to clear his conscience and prevent the execution of an innocent man. Prosecutors, however, maintain that Golden's testimony was not the sole evidence linking Owens to the crime. They point to other witnesses who testified that Owens had planned the robbery and later bragged about the killing.
The South Carolina Supreme Court has already refused to halt Owens' execution, despite Golden's previous statement about an undisclosed deal with prosecutors. The state Attorney General's Office argues that Golden's changing narrative undermines his credibility.
Owens' last chance for clemency now lies with Governor Henry McMaster, who has the power to commute his sentence to life imprisonment.
The South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty have presented a petition with over 10,000 signatures to the governor's office urging a reduction in Owens' sentence.
Rev. Hillary Taylor, the group's executive director, emphasized the importance of restorative justice, stating:
Justice works for restoration. You cannot restore someone who you kill.
Owens' case has broader implications for South Carolina's death penalty system, which has faced challenges in recent years. The state has struggled to obtain lethal injection drugs, leading to the addition of a firing squad option and the passage of a shield law to protect execution details.
If carried out, Owens' execution would be the first in South Carolina in 13 years. The state has five other inmates who have exhausted their appeals, potentially paving the way for more executions in the near future.
The controversy surrounding Owens' case highlights ongoing debates about the reliability of witness testimony and the irreversible nature of capital punishment. As the execution hour approaches, the eyes of the nation are on South Carolina, awaiting the final decision that will determine Freddie Owens' fate.
