top of page

Our Background

SCADP has existed for more than four decades, first as "South Carolina Against the Death Penalty," then as “South Carolinians Abolishing the Death Penalty.” Led previously by Ron Kaz, the organization lobbied, educated, and connected with communities across SC to end capital punishment. After a 10-year pause on state-sponsored executions, SCADP became dormant, focusing on supporting death row residents and their legal teams as needed. The organization relaunched in 2021 with a new name: South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, just as SC Senate Bill 200 passed the South Carolina General Assembly. SC Senate Bill 200 expedited the timeline of executions by forcing death row residents to choose between a firing squad or the electric chair if lethal injection was not an available form for execution. Two men, Brad Sigmon and Freddie Owens, were scheduled to be executed just as the law was passed. However, the executions were stayed, as there was no firing squad mechanism for death row residents in South Carolina. At present, SCADP is building a coalition of people across the state to end the practice of capital punishment: victim family members, correctional officers, faith communities police officers, state employees, and many more. We hope you will connect with us below so that we can work to to end the death penalty together.

REhumanize

Advocate

Mobilize

Restore

Background of SCADP
bottom of page