Stephen Bryant, a man condemned to death in South Carolina, has made a chilling choice: to face a firing squad. The 44-year-old, who confessed to a brutal murder over two decades ago, selected this method of execution, setting his date for November 14th. He will become the third inmate this year to meet his fate by South Carolina’s recently reinstated practice.
The decision wasn’t made lightly. Bryant had until Friday to choose between lethal injection, the firing squad, or the electric chair. His selection comes as South Carolina grapples with resuming executions after a 13-year hiatus, a pause born from the difficulty of securing the drugs needed for lethal injection. Four inmates opted for injection, while two previously chose the firing squad.
The crime that sealed Bryant’s fate was unspeakably cruel. He admitted to fatally shooting Willard “TJ” Tietjen, then subjected the man to a horrifying post-mortem desecration. Bryant burned Tietjen’s eyes with cigarettes and scrawled a taunting message on the wall – “catch me if u can” – using the victim’s own blood.
The scene discovered by investigators was macabre. Candles flickered around Tietjen’s body, casting long shadows on the chilling message. A corner of a potholder, dipped in blood, completed the phrase: “victem 4 in 2 weeks. catch me if u can.” The callousness of the act is almost incomprehensible.
Tietjen’s daughter desperately tried to reach her father, calling him six times. On the final attempt, a stranger answered, delivering the devastating news of his death. The voice confirmed her worst fears, shattering her world in an instant.
Prosecutors believe Bryant’s violence didn’t end with Tietjen. He was also accused of the murders of two other men in October 2004, one before and one after Tietjen’s death. The pattern was disturbingly similar: offering rides, then shooting the victims in the back as they were vulnerable.
Behind the brutality lay a history of profound trauma. Bryant’s lawyers argued he was deeply disturbed before the killings, repeatedly pleading for help as he battled the lingering effects of sexual abuse suffered at the hands of four male relatives during his childhood. He reportedly attempted to self-medicate with drugs, including methamphetamine and joints laced with bug spray.
The execution itself will be carried out by a team of three volunteers, positioned fifteen feet away from Bryant. They will aim for the heart, the sole requirement for a legally sanctioned execution, according to prison officials.
However, the firing squad method is already facing scrutiny. Attorneys representing a recent inmate executed by this method claim the executioners nearly missed the heart, prolonging his suffering. Witnesses reported audible groans from the condemned man, and it took over a minute for him to succumb.
The use of the firing squad is rare in the United States. Since 1977, only three prisoners – all in Utah – have been put to death by this method. This year alone, 41 men have been executed nationwide, with at least 18 more scheduled to follow. Legal challenges are anticipated following Bryant’s execution, adding another layer of complexity to this grim chapter.
