Death Penalty in South Carolina

As of October 2026, South Carolina remains one of the 27 U.S. states that retain the death penalty in law. South Carolina uses electrocution as the default when a prisoner does not make a valid election, while firing squad and lethal injection are available choices under state law.

Current legal status

The death penalty remains part of South Carolina law. That does not necessarily mean executions occur regularly: capital punishment in the United States varies sharply by state because death sentences, appeals, clemency, execution warrants, drug availability, court orders and executive policy can all affect whether a sentence is carried out.

Authorized execution methods

This state page is therefore linked to the broader Execution Methods in the United States archive rather than repeating technical protocol details that can change over time.

Death row, prisons and execution sites

Execution facilities: Broad River Correctional Institution.

Constitutional framework

Why this page exists

Sources

– Death Penalty Information Center — South Carolina state profile. – Death Penalty Information Center — Authorized Methods by State.