South Carolina firing squad ‘botched’ execution of cop killer Mikal Mahdi as bullets missed heart, left him alive ‘longer than was intended’

NY Post ^ | 5/08/25 | Natalie O'Neill

[Libloather]

A South Carolina firing squad tried to shoot a convicted cop killer in the heart and missed in a “botched” execution that left him in “excruciating” pain as he bled out, according to an autopsy and experts.

Mikal Mahdi, 42 — who murdered a South Carolina police officer during a crime spree in 2004 — was shot to death by a three-person firing squad on April 11.

But an autopsy later revealed that none of the bullets hit his heart directly, and that his chest showed only two bullet wounds instead of three, according to a disturbing report by NPR.

The bullets that struck him injured his liver and other internal organs and allowed his heart to keep beating as he remained alive for roughly a minute, experts said.

“Mr. Mahdi did experience excruciating conscious pain and suffering for about 30 to 60 seconds after he was shot,” pathologist Dr. Jonathan Arden wrote in his analysis of the state autopsy.

Arden, who was hired by Mahdi’s lawyers to review the autopsy, added that Mahdi was “alive and reacting longer than was intended or expected.”

In July 2004, Mahdi went on a multi-state crime spree — committing carjacking, firearm robbery, and three murders, including that of 56-year-old off-duty police officer James Myers, who was shot at least eight times before his body was burned.

[paulcissa]

No sympathy from for this guy, but if your going for a clean kill - it might make sense to get three people that can actually shoot and HIT the X-Ring.

In all fairness, I have no idea what the arrangement is; how many yards, benched, prone, off-hand - I have no clue. But I believe in clean kill. You have to be proficient with your rifle if you’re going for clean kill.

In this regard, it’s a total fail. Shame on them.

[T.B. Yoits]

They should have shot him to death with .22s, starting at his feet.

Make all the other capital crime prisoners watch it.

...and clean it up afterwards.

[meyer]

Head shot next time.

[Responsibility2nd]

God would disagree with you as he ordered millions to die at the hands of His people.

https://www.perplexity.ai/search/how-many-did-the-israelites-ki-ORZ1AchkSeGONLVMtgkqaA

[T.B. Yoits]

In all fairness, I have no idea what the arrangement is; how many yards, benched, prone, off-hand...

...or the prison guards bent the barrels just a bit.

(It's not like they let you bring your own gun).

[DesertRhino]

“Gosh sir, I guessed we missed the mark a bit....heh heh heh...”

[Governor Dinwiddie]

#3: "He's dead. Doesn't sound “botched” to me."

Correct. The perp is dead and rotting in the grave. Sounds like it worked out as planned.

Next time hang the perp by piano wire and let him swing back and forth while the rifleman take aim.
It's more fun to shoot a moving target.

[DesertRhino]

“Gosh sir, I guessed we missed the mark a bit....heh heh heh...”

[albie]

Oops. Hee hee. Oh well.

[usconservative]

The bullets that struck him injured his liver and other internal organs and allowed his heart to keep beating as he remained alive for roughly a minute, experts said.

Don't care. He's dead. Next.

[Uncle Miltie]

Don’t care.

Though expanding to a 12 person firing squad would increase the opportunities.

[paulcissa]

My guess is they use duty weapons from the systems arsenal. Same weapons that have been carried in and out of stations over and over. Service weapons get the snot beat out of them.

[BobL]

No more DEI for Firing Squads, please.

[ryderann]

“...suffered like the cop he killed, maybe?”

Maybe he was hit where he was meant to be hit.

[dfwgator]

[T.B. Yoits]

They should auction those guns off. Some collector will cash in on ghoulish history.

Rent them out with fanfare for the next one.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

:Yawn:

[Farmerbob]

Next time give them 12 gauge 00 shotguns.

[T.B. Yoits]

Head shot next time.

The lower one.

[dfwgator]