Key witness who put Freddie Owens on death row now says he lied but execution still going ahead

A key witness who helped put Freddie Owens on death row now says he lied to save his own life — coming forward just days before Owens’ execution, which is still set for Friday.Steven Golden — Owens’ one-time friend and co-defendant — filed a sworn statement Wednesday saying he lied during his testimony and that Owens wasn’t with him at the South Carolina convenience store in 1997 when Irene Graves was killed in a botched robbery.Golden said he had a secret deal with prosecutors and lied about his then-pal’s guilt to help save himself from the death chamber.“I’m coming forward now because I know Freddie’s execution date is September 20 and I don’t want Freddie to be executed for something he didn’t do,” he wrote.“This has weighed heavily on my mind and I want to have a clear conscience.”However, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the shocking last-minute confession was not enough to halt the Friday execution still scheduled for 6 p.m.

Friday.Owens’ lawyers condemned the decision to press on with the execution, the state’s first in 13 years.“South Carolina is on the verge of executing a man for a crime he did not commit,” said one of his attorneys, Gerald “Bo” King.

“We will continue to advocate for Mr.Owens.”In his statement, Golden said he blamed Owens because he was high on cocaine — and police then put pressure on him by claiming they already knew the two were together and that Owens was talking.

Golden also said he feared the real killer, whom he did not identify“I thought the real shooter or his associates might kill me if I named him to police.I am still afraid of that.

But Freddie was not there,” Golden wrote in his second sworn statement.Golden said he testified at Owens’ trial because prosecutors promised to consider his testimony in his favor as he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.He was eventually sentenced to 28 years in prison, court records show.Howev...