Letter to Governor McMaster:

Dear Governor,

I am writing in regard to the execution of Mikal D. Mahdi (DOC: 00005238, DOB: March 20, 1983), which is scheduled for April 11, 2025. I am asking that you do everything in your power to stop this execution from going forward.

At the center of my Catholic faith is the belief in the sanctity of life and the inherent dignity of every human person. This dignity is inviolable and cannot be lost even after the commission of a serious crime. As St. John Paul II said, “The dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil.” This means we recognize the God-given dignity of Mr. Mahdi despite the terrible nature of the crime for which he was convicted. The gift of life is from God alone; we do not have the power to create or destroy it.

I do not forget the pain endured by Christopher Jason Boggs and James Edward Myers, whose lives were tragically taken in 2004. Nor do I forget the grief and suffering their families have endured. As a Church, we pray for their continued healing.

But, I do not condone this potential execution as a form of justice.

Mr. Mahdi’s case is deeply troubling. As a child, he endured unimaginable hardship — struggling with despair and suicidal thoughts as early as 14. Instead of receiving mental health care, he was placed in the juvenile prison system and subjected to solitary confinement. By the time he was 21, his life had spiraled into tragedy, culminating in the deaths of two people. At trial, his attorneys failed him, dedicating less than 30 minutes to presenting his traumatic background and its impact on his actions.

Given the serious failures in his legal representation and the devastating consequences of his neglected mental health as a child, I urge you to grant clemency and commute Mr. Mahdi’s sentence.

I am also deeply troubled that South Carolina will execute Mr. Mahdi by firing squad. The reality that Mr. Mahdi was put in the position to choose how the state will take his life is unconscionable, and a sign of deep concern that, due to previous executions, Mr. Mahdi believes that being shot to death will cause himself the least amount of suffering.

Governor McMaster, I ask you to do everything in your power to stop this execution. Please grant clemency to Mikal Mahdi and stop this execution from going forward.