Man admits he lied while testifying against inmate facing execution

In South Carolina, inmate Freddie Owens is facing execution by lethal injection scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday. This comes nearly 26 years after he was convicted for the murder of a convenience store clerk, Irene Graves, during a robbery in Greenville.

Days ahead of the execution, a significant development has emerged. Steven Golden, a co-defendant whose testimony was pivotal in Owens’ conviction, has now stated that he lied during the trial to protect himself from facing the death penalty. Golden filed a sworn statement claiming that he provided false information after being pressured by authorities and under the influence of cocaine.

Owens’ legal representatives have submitted this new statement in an effort to halt the execution, which marks South Carolina’s first in over a decade. The South Carolina Supreme Court has requested that both defense and prosecution provide their written arguments by Thursday afternoon regarding this matter.

Previously, prosecutors pointed out that there were multiple witnesses who reported that Owens confessed to the murder. Despite the new claims from Golden, the state Supreme Court declined to intervene last week, citing the existence of other substantial evidence linking Owens to the crime.

In his recent declaration, Golden asserted that he was not present at the store during the fatal incident. He confessed that he initially blamed Owens to deflect attention from himself, fearing retaliation from the actual shooter if he disclosed the truth. “I thought the real shooter or his associates might kill me if I named him to police,” he wrote, emphasizing his ongoing fear for his safety.

At the time of Owens’ trial, Golden had testified that he believed his cooperation would be considered favorably by the prosecutors, despite still facing severe charges himself. Ultimately, he was found guilty of a lesser charge and sentenced to 28 years in prison.

Golden’s latest revelation stresses a moral urgency to prevent what he believes would be an unjust execution. “I’m coming forward now because I know Freddie’s execution date is September 20 and I don’t want Freddie to be executed for something he didn’t do,” Golden stated with regret. “This has weighed heavily on my mind and I want to have a clear conscience.”

However, authorities maintain that Golden’s recantation should not derail the execution. They have argued that the testimony from other witnesses, alongside Golden’s prior statements about Owens’ involvement, continues to substantiate the conviction. Prosecutors labeled the timing of Golden’s statement as “suspect” given the proximity to the scheduled execution.

On a related note, a petition with over 10,000 signatures was delivered to Governor Henry McMaster, urging him to commute Owens’ sentence to life imprisonment instead of execution. The petition was presented by activists from South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. Their executive director, Rev. Hillary Taylor, articulated a strong message against capital punishment, stating, “Justice works for restoration. You cannot restore someone who you kill.”

Governor McMaster has indicated that he will announce his decision regarding clemency just minutes before the execution is set to commence.

If carried out, Owens would become the first inmate executed in South Carolina in 13 years. The state has faced significant challenges in procuring the necessary drugs for lethal injections, primarily due to pharmaceutical companies unwilling to have their products used in executions if their identities were disclosed. In response, South Carolina recently authorized the use of a firing squad and passed legislation to protect the confidentiality of execution details. As a result, the state Supreme Court has permitted the death chamber to resume activities this past summer.

Currently, five additional inmates are in the same position as Owens, with the state capable of arranging executions every five weeks.