Pentobarbital injection used to execute Stephen Stanko, who killed two and raped his girl friend’s daughter, in South Carolina

Stephen Christopher Stanko, 57, was executed by lethal injection of pentobarbital at South Carolina’s Broad River Correctional Institution. Stanko was convicted of two separate murders committed in 2005, as well as kidnapping and raping his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter. His execution marked South Carolina’s sixth since the state resumed capital punishment nine months ago, amid renewed national debate over the death penalty.

Stanko chose lethal injection over the firing squad, reportedly influenced by a recent botched firing squad execution. His final meal included fried fish, shrimp, and crab cakes. He was pronounced dead at 6:34 p.m. on June 13.

South Carolina’s recent resumption of executions has placed major focus on lethal injection—now one of three available methods under the state’s revised capital punishment law. After a 13-year hiatus due to drug procurement challenges, the state enacted legislation allowing executions by lethal injection, firing squad, or electric chair. This law also includes a shield provision to keep the identities of drug suppliers confidential, addressing pharmaceutical companies’ reluctance to provide execution drugs.

Lethal injection: Protocol and details

Lethal injection remains the primary and most commonly chosen method of execution in South Carolina. South Carolina employs a single-drug lethal injection protocol using two massive five-gram doses of pentobarbital to execute death row inmates.

Pentobarbital is a powerful, short-acting barbiturate that, at such high doses, rapidly induces deep unconsciousness by depressing the central nervous system. The first five-gram dose quickly renders the inmate insensible, and the second dose ensures the cessation of respiratory function, leading to cardiac arrest and death. This approach is designed to minimize pain and suffering.

Typically, the lethal injection process lasts about 20 minutes from the start of administration until death is pronounced. The protocol involves intravenous administration through two IV lines, with saline flushes used to clear the equipment.

Other methods of execution

Electrocution: The electric chair was South Carolina’s default method when lethal injection was unavailable. It remains an option for inmates who do not choose lethal injection or the firing squad. The electric chair delivers a powerful electrical current intended to cause rapid loss of consciousness and death.

Firing Squad: South Carolina became the first state in recent years to carry out a firing squad execution, with the first occurring in March 2025. The protocol involves a team of marksmen aiming at the inmate’s heart, with the procedure designed for rapid death. Inmates must opt for this method in writing, and the process is tightly regulated. Recent controversy arose after a botched firing squad execution, which influenced some inmates, including Stephen Stanko, to avoid this method.

The execution sparked protests from South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, who oppose capital punishment on moral and legal grounds. Meanwhile, Henry Lee Turner’s family expressed relief, calling the execution “long overdue.”

South Carolina’s recent resumption of executions and use of multiple methods has intensified debates over the death penalty’s ethics and effectiveness. Stanko’s case, marked by brutal crimes and complex legal battles, underscores the ongoing national conversation about justice, mental health, and human rights in capital punishment.