Today, the legal team for Brad Sigmon filed a motion for a stay of execution and a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the Supreme Court of South Carolina’s original jurisdiction. As the petition details, Mr. Sigmon’s trial counsel failed to present available and powerful evidence of Mr. Sigmon’s inherited mental illness, organic brain damage, and childhood trauma. The petition can be seen here.
Gerald “Bo” King of the Capital Habeas Unit for the Fourth Circuit in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of North Carolina, issued the following statement on behalf of Brad Sigmon and his legal team, which includes Josh Kendrick of Kendrick Leonard:
“Brad’s sentencing hearing was a sham. Brad’s jury heard him admit guilt and express his deep remorse for the deaths of Gladys and David Larke. But, because of trial counsel’s failures, the jury never heard the full truth about Brad. They never heard that Brad suffers from a severe, inherited mental illness. They never heard that he has organic brain damage and trauma from his violent and neglected childhood. They never heard that, at the time of the crime and the time of trial, his illnesses and injuries had thrown him into psychosis, and even incompetence.
Without this essential evidence, the jury was deprived of the opportunity to understand Brad’s crime, his erratic behavior at trial, and the full extent of his traumatic upbringing. Any death sentence imposed without this evidence is unsound. For these reasons, we urge the South Carolina Supreme Court to stay Brad’s execution and stop this injustice.”
