Federal judge won’t halt upcoming South Carolina executions

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)– A federal judge in South Carolina has denied a request to block the upcoming executions of two prisoners scheduled to die under the state’s recently revised capital punishment law. U.S. District Judge Bryan Harwell issued the order Friday allowing the executions of Brad Sigmon and Freddie Owens. Attorneys for the men say the state hasn’t exhausted all avenues to obtain lethal injection drugs. The new law forces inmates to choose either the electric chair or a firing squad if lethal injection drugs aren’t available. Prison officials haven’t yet put together a firing squad, saying electrocution is now the only method available.