*On Foreign News*
In South Carolina, Richard Moore, a Black man convicted by an all-white jury for a 1999 killing he claims was self-defense, faces execution by lethal injection this Friday. The 59-year-old was sentenced to death in 2001 for the killing of James Mahoney, a white convenience store clerk, during what prosecutors described as an attempted robbery.
Moore’s lawyers argue that he entered the store unarmed and that the confrontation with Mahoney erupted when Moore was short on change for his purchase. They claim that Mahoney pulled out two guns, leading Moore to wrestle one away, shooting Mahoney in self-defense after being wounded.
The defense also contends that Moore’s sentence is unfair, alleging racial bias since the prosecutor excluded all potential Black jurors and typically sought the death penalty in cases with white victims. Despite appeals, the Supreme Court denied Moore’s request for a stay of execution. His last hope is clemency from South Carolina’s Governor, Henry McMaster.
Among those supporting Moore’s clemency petition is Jon Ozmint, former director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, who argues the case wouldn’t likely result in a death sentence in most states.
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