New Federal Directives Aim to End Execution Moratorium and Align with State Methods
By BC News Staff Writer
WASHINGTON DC to COASTAL CAROLINAS — In a major overhaul of federal law enforcement policy, the Department of Justice (DOJ) officially announced Friday, April 24, 2026, that it is expanding execution protocols to include the firing squad. The move, directed by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, marks the formal end of a years-long federal moratorium and seeks to streamline the path to capital punishment for federal inmates.
Aligning Federal Law with the “South Carolina Model”
The new protocol reinstates the use of pentobarbital for lethal injections but explicitly adds the firing squad as a sanctioned alternative. This shift is designed to resolve legal challenges that have stalled executions due to the scarcity of lethal injection drugs.
For regional residents, the federal change mirrors a “manner of state” requirement. Under federal law, executions must follow the methods used by the state where the crime was prosecuted.
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South Carolina’s Influence: South Carolina cleared the way for the firing squad as a primary method in late 2024. Because the state already utilizes a three-person marksman protocol, federal cases originating in the region—including those handled in the Florence federal courthouse—will now be seamlessly aligned with these harsher methods.
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North Carolina Impact: While North Carolina has faced a de facto moratorium since 2006, the DOJ’s new “Restoring and Strengthening” report includes provisions to help states bypass federal legal “logjams.” This could eventually impact the status of over 120 inmates currently on death row in Raleigh, including those from Brunswick and Columbus counties.
Local Cases and Community Impact
The DOJ has already authorized seeking the death penalty against 44 defendants nationwide. This aggressive stance is already being felt locally in the case of Jaremy Smith, who faces federal capital charges in the kidnapping and murder of a Marion County paramedic. Under today’s directive, cases like this will now proceed under an expedited timeline with the firing squad authorized as a functional method.
Acting Attorney General Blanche stated today that the prior administration “failed in its duty to protect the American people” by pausing executions for the most violent offenders. The department’s new guidelines also limit the window for clemency petitions, aiming to cut years off the appeals process.
Response and Review – Civil rights organizations are expected to file immediate challenges in federal court, arguing that the return to firing squads constitutes “cruel and unusual punishment.” However, the DOJ’s report issued this morning asserts that the method is fully consistent with the Eighth Amendment.
For the coastal Carolinas, today’s announcement signals a return to a more active federal death penalty landscape not seen in over five years.
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