A death row inmate, set to be South Carolina's first execution of 2025, maintains he didn't kill his victim or burn her body in the trunk of a car, declaring this to be his "truth," as he continues to fight for a new trial after more than two decades on death row.
The South Carolina Supreme Court recently scheduled the execution of Marion Bowman Jr., who was convicted in 2002 for the 2001 murder of 21-year-old Kandee Martin. Bowman, 44, is slated to be executed on Friday, Jan. 31, at the Broad River Correctional Complex in Columbia, according to Post and Courier.
Bowman was found guilty of killing Martin in February 2001 in Dorchester County.
He shot Martin in the head, according to prosecutors, before attempting to conceal the crime by setting her body on fire in the trunk of a car, Post and Courier also revealed.
Evidence recovered from the scene included shell casings, blood stains, and one of Martin's shoes. Bowman's legal team, however, argued that the evidence presented during the trial was insufficient for a death penalty conviction and alleged misconduct in the case, including manipulated witness testimonies.
In his latest appeal, filed in December, Bowman's attorneys argued his conviction was marred by inadequate legal representation and suppressed evidence. They contend that Bowman's trial lawyer pressured him into a guilty plea based on personal biases rather than a solid legal defense strategy.
Bowman has consistently denied involvement in Martin's murder.
"I know this won't bring [her family] satisfaction, but this is my truth," he said, reiterating his innocence.
His legal team continues to push for clemency or a reprieve, arguing that the integrity of his original trial is deeply questionable.
South Carolina resumed executions in 2024 after a years-long pause due to difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs. In addition to lethal injection, the state has introduced the firing squad as an alternative method of execution.
Since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976, 45 prisoners have been executed in South Carolina, according to the Department of Corrections. The most recent executions occurred in September and October 2024, involving Freddie Owens and Richard Moore, who were both executed by lethal injection.
