A firing squad has executed a South Carolina man who killed an off-duty police officer decades ago.

A few more details are known about South Carolina's firing squad as the state prepares to carry out its second execution by that method.

South Carolina’s highest court has rejected the last major appeal from Mikal Mahdi, who is scheduled to die by firing squad this week for the ambush killing of a police officer.

A second South Carolina death row inmate has asked to die by firing squad just five weeks after the state carried out its first execution by bullets.