Steven Bixby, convicted in 2007 for the killings of State Constable Donnie Ouzts and Sergeant Danny Wilson, has petitioned the South Carolina Supreme Court to delay issuing his execution notice until after the winter holidays. The request cites a 2024 stay granted to another death row inmate whose scheduled execution fell near Thanksgiving and Christmas. The court has not yet ruled on the petition.
The case dates back to 2003, when a standoff over 20 feet of property the state wanted for a highway widening project ended with the deaths of Ouzts and Wilson, a sergeant with the Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office. Bixby has been on death row since his 2007 conviction. His petition does not challenge the conviction itself, only the timing of the execution notice.
How the court rules could shape how similar scheduling requests are handled going forward, especially given the precedent set by the 2024 stay. For the families of the two officers, each delay carries its own weight. For the courts, it’s a question of consistency.
Do you think execution scheduling should account for the holidays? Let us know in the comments.
