Lawyers for man executed by firing squad in South Carolina say bullets mostly missed his heart

A man who was put to death last month in South Carolina's second firing squad execution was conscious and likely in extreme pain for as long as a minute after the bullets, meant to quickly stop his heart, struck him lower than expected, according to a pathologist hired by his attorneys. An autopsy photo of Mikal Mahdi's torso showed only two distinct wounds from the three volunteer prison employees who all had live ammunition in the April 11 execution, according to the pathologist's report, which was filed Thursday with a letter to the state Supreme Court titled “notice of botched execution.” Prison workers suggested to the pathologist who performed the autopsy that two bullets entered his body at the same spot.