State says its ready for first execution in 13 years [Video]

South Carolina’s prisons director said Wednesday that state’s supply of a lethal injection drug is pure, its electric chair was tested two months ago and its firing squad has the ammunition and training to carry out its first execution next month in more than 13 years.(Archive video above is from Freddie Owens sentencing) Corrections Director Bryan Stirling was ordered by the state Supreme Court to submit a sworn statement to the lawyer for Freddie Owens certifying that all three methods of putting a prisoner to death are available for his scheduled Sept. 20 execution.Owens’ lawyers have said they will review the statement, and if they don’t think it is adequate, they will ask the state Supreme Court or federal judges to consider it.It’s one of at least two legal issues of contention between the state and Owens ahead of next month’s execution date.Owens has until Sept. 6 to decide how …