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If South Carolina executes 59-year-old Richard Moore, he will become the 45th individual to die by lethal injection since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Moore, who is Black, is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. on Nov. 1 for the fatal shooting of James Mahoney in 1999. However, he still has one final opportunity to avoid execution if his clemency request is approved by Republican Governor Henry McMaster.
According to the Associated Press, Moore’s legal team has submitted a clemency petition, supported by three jurors who sentenced him to death in 2001. These jurors have written letters urging McMaster to reduce his sentence to life without the possibility of parole. They are joined by a former state prison director, Moore’s trial judge, his children, a group of childhood friends, and several pastors. Supporters describe Moore as “a faithful Christian” and a loving family man who has worked to foster peace and order in his current prison environment. They highlight his role as a mentor to fellow inmates, where he educates them about how his struggles with addiction clouded his judgment, leading to the tragic shootout that claimed Mahoney’s life…