On November 1, 2024, Richard Moore was executed in the name of all South Carolinians. He is the first person to be executed in SC’s modern death penalty history for self-defense against a murder victim who threatened him with two weapons. Richard’s crime at Nikki’s Speedy Mart was not premeditated. He walked into the convenience store unarmed. Nevertheless, the State has murdered Richard in our name. It is worth noting that some of the most infamous serial murderers of the last 10 years, including Alex Murdaugh and Todd Kohlhepp (also sentenced out of Spartanburg County), were never considered for capital punishment, even though their crimes have far more aggravating circumstances than Richard’s.
Richard is also the last Black man sentenced to South Carolina’s death row by an all-white jury, as the Spartanburg County Solicitor’s Office struck all eligible Black jurors from his trial process. His execution shows South Carolina’s elected officials do not care about the racism embedded in the death penalty. They are more interested in using the system to win elections and maintain political power.
By denying Richard clemency tonight, Governor McMaster has also proved he is not a fair arbiter of clemency. He has ignored the voices of former jury members, faith leaders, and more than 50,000 petition signers, callers, and emailers, as well as influential voices of Judge Clary and former SCDC director Jon Ozmint. Governor McMaster only sees Richard as the monster that he was branded during his trial process and believes Richard’s death is more valuable than his life.
But Richard Moore is not a monster. He is someone who takes full responsibility for James Mahoney’s death and has become a different person in the 25 years since the shooting. He’s been a present father and grandfather for his family while incarcerated, a mentor to those on the Row, and someone who helps corrections officers keep the peace. If our legal system allowed him to repair the harm he caused James Mahoney’s family, he would have done so. But that is not possible. We recognize the Mahoney family has not found healing since the 1999 shooting. Tonight, we pray for their peace and their healing, just as we pray for the healing of Richard’s children, grandchildren, and extended family. Both families know the pain of losing a loved one to violence, state-sanctioned or otherwise.
Though the State has executed someone in the name of justice, we are no closer to solving the underlying problems of violence in South Carolina. Poverty has not been addressed. Racism has not been eradicated. Addicts have not moved into recovery. Mental health first aid is not accessible. South Carolina has created more victims of violence, and until we address these problems, the State will continue to pursue Capital crimes for people who shouldn’t be tried for them in the first place.
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