South Carolina is planning to execute Richard Moore - a Black man who entered a convenience store unarmed with no intent of killing someone - unless we implore Governor McMaster to halt this egregious and excessive punishment.

Richard Moore walked into a convenience store in 1999 unarmed. A dispute with the clerk, James Mahoney, ensued and Mr. Mahoney drew a weapon. The two tussled and the altercation resulted in both Mr. Moore and Mr. Mahoney being shot, and tragically Mr. Mahoney died from his wounds.

Mr. Moore was subsequently sentenced to death for the incident, despite there being no intention to kill Mr. Mahoney. The punishment simply does not fit the crime. This was not a premeditated murder. And no other case in South Carolina where a defendant entered a place of business unarmed has resulted in a death sentence before.

Even Supreme Court of South Carolina Justice Kaye Heardn concluded that “Richard Moore will be put to death for a sentence that I do not believe is legal under our law” and “nothing could be more shocking to the universal sense of justice.” And yet, Richard is awaiting the death penalty.  

Mr. Moore’s case sadly fits within a larger pattern of racial disparities deeply rooted in South Carolina’s death penalty system where time and time again, white life is valued over Black life.

Mr. Moore is a Black man charged with killing a white victim. Of the 282 people who have been executed in South Carolina in the past 100+ years, 74% were Black. In fact, in Spartanburg County where Mr. Moore’s case was prosecuted, all but 1 of the 16 modern era death sentences involved a white victim. In the one case involving a Black victim, the death sentence was reversed, and the defendant was removed from death row.

Mr. Moore is also the last person on South Carolina’s death row to be sentenced by an all-white jury, even though several Black people were in the jury pool. The prosecutor, judge, and defense attorneys were also white. Richard faced a trial for his life with a courtroom full of white people.

Additionally, the state is forcing Richard to select between antiquated, barbaric and unconstitutional methods of execution: electrocution, using the same electric chair that was used to kill George Stinney, or a firing squad in which three volunteers will fire through a rectangular opening in the wall to kill Mr. Moore who will be strapped to a metal chair with a hood over his head and a target over his heart.

Richard has two children in their 20s and a granddaughter who is 3 years-old. They are close with Richard and would lose their father and grandfather if the execution proceeds.

Sign our petition and ask Governor McMaster to do the right thing and grant Richard clemency today.