Owens is set to be executed by lethal injection in the state's first execution in 13 years. This despite a key witness who testified against Owens now proclaiming his innocence.

South Carolina is set to execute its first inmate in 13 years after an unintended pause because the state could not obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections.

In South Carolina, the governor has the lone ability to grant clemency and reduce a death sentence to life in prison. However, no governor has done that in the state’s 43 executions since the death penalty was restarted in the U.S. in 1976.