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Amy Robach
This is an iHeart podcast.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Hey audiobook lovers. I'm Kalpen, I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Each week we sit down with your favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from audible, listen to Earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app.
Amy Robach
Today a GLP1 helped you lose weight, but now you're noticing unwanted facial changes.
TJ Holmes
Yeah, the weight came off, but facial volume loss and dull sagging skin are making you look older. That's where the next phase of your weight loss journey comes in.
Amy Robach
There's before weight loss, after weight loss, and then the after after.
TJ Holmes
Yeah, help restore and refresh your facial skin and reclaim your natural looking youthful glow.
Amy Robach
To learn more, visit faceafterweightloss. That's face after weight loss.com make their.
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Amy Robach
I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Don'T trust much of anything. It's the rage bait.
Amy Robach
It feels like it's trying to divide people.
TJ Holmes
We got clear facts.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
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Amy Robach
Today.
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TJ Holmes
Hey there folks. It is Friday, November 14, and as this episode is being posted, a hood is being placed over a man's head in South Carolina. Three other men are standing 15ft away and are preparing to fire. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and tj. I describe there what's happening robes in South Carolina in their death chamber where we are seeing yet again not just another execution. We are seeing specifically a firing squad execution tonight.
Amy Robach
Yes, and this is the third execution by firing squad in the state of South Carolina this year alone. There is a reason for that and we will explain. This is also the second execution of the week in this country. It was supposed to be the third. And this is South Carolina's seventh execution in less than 14 months. They are right there just behind Florida in terms of the number of inmates that they are executing this year.
TJ Holmes
Look, they've got the drugs they need now. They have the methods they need and they have the governors. Quite frankly, they need to be signing these death warrants and that's why we're seeing so much of that this year.
Amy Robach
Yes, his name is Stephen Bryant. He's 44 years old. And yes, he chose to die by firing squad. This will be South Carolina's 50th inmate to be put to death since it restarted the death penalty in 1985. His crime, killing three people over a period of five days and notably, notoriously writing catch me if you can on the wall with the blood from one of his victims.
TJ Holmes
Yet his this isn't one of those cases where the Innocence Project is jumping on it necessarily questioning whether or not he committed the crime. That's not where we are. But there are still some questions and some legal questions and reasons people thought he might or should be taken off death row as well.
Amy Robach
Yes, that's right. His lawyers argued that the judge who sentenced him to die never took into consideration or never heard that he actually suffered as a an infant from fetal alcohol syndrome. Correct. So they said that his brain was severely damaged from his mother's alcohol and drug use while she was pregnant with him. They took his case all the way up to the Supreme Court, but they rejected it this week in South Carolina writing. And this wasn't by any stretch, Bryant demonstrated a high level of planning, decision making and calculation. So they refused to hear his appeal. And last month the US Supreme Court also refused to hear his case.
TJ Holmes
This wasn't impulsive stuff, they argue, where you can say his brain wasn't functioning a certain way. It was functioning just fine to plan. He even taunted authorities. But there was a, there was a lot of planning and trying to get away with what he was doing, which didn't signal that this was what they were saying. They said this would just give you a, it might change the reason he did what he did, but it doesn't change that he did it and he's still responsible for it.
Amy Robach
Correct. Someone who is so severely brain damaged to have that kind of thought and planning and the decision to, to take it up, not just obviously killing three people, but then taunting authorities, that takes a certain level of brain power that they were saying. You can't, you can't just pass this off as fetal alcohol syndrome. It's not going to fly with us. But he is actually being executed for a specific killing. He killed Willard TJ Tiet Jen, in his home. This happened in 2004. And when you hear what he did, he, it's, it's pretty heinous. Investigators say that Bryant actually burned TJ's eyes with cigarettes after he shot him and then took his blood and painted catch me if you can and other taunting messages for investigators and police after he killed this man. He also. This was a detail dipped a potholder made by his daughter when she was a child in his own blood and left it there. And there was also reports of a chilling phone call because TJ's daughter was calling him. She couldn't get him to answer. She was calling him several times. And finally, according to authorities, Bryant answered the phone and what he said to her is disturbing. She testified his daughter at trial said that. She testified. A strange voice finally answered and said, you can't. I killed him. And she replied, this isn't funny. Who are you? And he said, I'm the prowler. And she said, excuse me, who are you? And she said, he just repeated, I'm the prowler.
TJ Holmes
Again, this is not that case where people are questioning and wondering and guilt and evidence mishandled and didn't get the right attorney. This isn't one of those things. Like you said, he's being executed for a specific crime, but he's taken at least three. He confirmed kill. But he was talking about you killed more.
Amy Robach
Yes, exactly. So prosecutors say right now what they know of is he shot and killed two men that he was giving rides to. So essentially it sounds like they may, he may have picked them up, but they needed a ride. And according to police, when they stepped out of his truck to use the restroom, he shot and killed them for no apparent reason. So. And they talk about how this truly terrorized this area of South Carolina, Sumter county, over a period of five days. But the execution is for that specific case. You were asking me, is he now considered a serial killer? You know, what is, what is the classification for somebody who, who does this sort of thing? And I actually looked up the FBI criteria. It was interesting. I didn't realize this. Do you know the difference between a mass murder, a spree killer and a serial killer?
TJ Holmes
It's time. It's just a matter of how much time passes. We know it. A mass killing, everybody's familiar with that at this point. Spree killing is a short period of time. A serial killer is a longer period of time. And that's kind of it.
Amy Robach
Yeah, you know, I didn't realize it, obviously it's two or more to have, obviously being more than just a typical homicide, but I didn't realize. Yeah, it's the cooling off period that they describe as the difference between a spree killer and a serial killer. A serial killer actually takes as much as a month off in between killings. A spree killer just is on a, on a roll, so to speak, for lack of a better term. And so this happened over a five day period of time. And so they technically are referring to him as a spree killer. I was not familiar with the distinction among those three types of killers. When we come back, we're going to talk about. We mentioned he chose the firing squad. So did two other inmates. That doesn't seem like something someone would choose. But there is a very real reason why these inmates chose to die by firing squad. And we'll tell you why and how it's all going to take place.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Hey, everyone, Ed Helms here. And hi, I'm Cal Penn and we're the hosts of Irsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Jenny Garth, host of the Iheart podcast. I choose me to discuss the new audible adaptation of the timeless Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice. This is not a trick question. There's no wrong answer. What role would I play?
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You know what?
TJ Holmes
I can see you as Mr. Darcy.
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You got a little call in Firth.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Okay, that's really sweet. I appreciate that. But are you sure I'm not the dad? I'm not Mr. Bennett here. Listen to Earsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Amy Robach
I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Don'T trust much of anything. It's the rage bait.
Amy Robach
It feels like it's trying to divide people.
TJ Holmes
We got clear facts.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Maybe we could calm down a little. NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America.
Amy Robach
A GLP one helped you lose weight, but now you're noticing unwanted facial changes.
TJ Holmes
Yeah, the weight came off, but facial volume loss and dull sagging skin are making you look older. That's where the next phase of your weight loss journey comes in.
Amy Robach
There's before weight loss, after weight loss, and then the after after.
TJ Holmes
Yeah. Help restore and refresh your facial skin and reclaim your natural looking youthful glow.
Amy Robach
To learn more, visit Face after weight loss dot com. That's Face After Weight loss dot com. Continuing our conversation about what is happening right now actually in South Carolina. As you're listening to this, 44 year old Stephen Bryant has chosen to die by firing squad. Scheduled at 6:00pm Eastern Time tonight on Friday, he lost all of his appeals. This is somebody who police say is a spree killer. Killed at least three people but is dying over a very specific murder of a, a man. It was a heinous killing. Willard TJ Tianjin in his own home and taunted authorities by writing messages in his victim's blood on the wall for them to see. But he has chosen to die by firing squad. The third man, as we mentioned, to die by fire squad in the state of South Carolina, the last one we saw was in April and before that in March and before that the firing squad had not been used since 2010. But there's a reason why it's back and that is because South Carolina was among those states that had trouble getting the drug that they needed to perform lethal injections. And then of course there was all of that controversy about how humane it was that the drugs were being given in the wrong order or weren't the right amount or weren't the right drugs and so that inmates who were being executed were dying in a cruel and unusual way, that it was, they were suffering, so to speak. I didn't realize this South Carolina had a long hiatus, did you? They just reinstated the death penalty last year or at least resumed executions last year.
TJ Holmes
Yeah, it's been a dozen years. They, at least they've held off. That's a, that's a pretty good buildup of death row inmates if you stop executions.
Amy Robach
Yes. Yeah. So they had an unintentional, is how they describe it, 13 year hiatus. They couldn't get the drugs needed for lethal injection. The companies didn't or certain companies didn't want to provide it, who had certain feelings about the death penalty.
TJ Holmes
A lot of places had these problems that combined with court rulings about this being cruel and unusual. So they just held off. A lot of folks stopped. So yeah, they started giving inmates the option of a firing squad and they have been taking that option. He, it was this, it was a firing squad, it was electric chair or lethal injection. And he needed to give an answer because they were going to pick for him and they were going to pick the old school method. It defaults to the electric chair if you don't pick something. So he chose the firing squad. Look, we've seen several reports, and I'm sure he's aware of him as well. His lawyers are. That some of those lethal injections, even in this year, recent years, they. They sound horrible. They sound like a horrible experience. Look, dying like this has to be uncomfortable to a certain degree, but they just. It seems like there's a lot of pain and discomfort in those.
Amy Robach
Yes, by all accounts, because when you have these executions, you have witnesses, and so they come out, they speak to reporters, and they tell people what they saw. And we have seen numerous reports over the years of reporters describing inmates suffering before they die. Now, we also. There was an issue with the firing squad, correct?
TJ Holmes
Yeah. They. If you miss the target, if you will. There was one there. You. It's designed to actually just shred and rip the heart apart as quickly as possible for you to die. But if you're off a little bit. Which was the allegation? I can't remember which one it was, but yes, that it took someone longer to die because it had to go through more of a process of filling up the lungs with blood. And it was a longer death because it didn't hit the target. So you got three people there firing at a target on. Right smack dab on the heart and 15ft away. Volunteers, they say they are.
Amy Robach
Now, do all three have bullets or does just one have bullet? And among the three, they don't know which one fired the fatal shot.
TJ Holmes
I believe they are all loaded. That's something we see right in. In movies.
Amy Robach
Yes. That's why I was saying all three.
TJ Holmes
Of these, I believe, live rounds.
Amy Robach
Yes. And the fact that the state also has an electric chair is. Is quite eerie. Now, this is in Colombia. This is the exact. I don't know if it's the exact same room, and I don't know where they do the. The firing, so. But this is where I witnessed a lethal injection in Colombia at. God, this had to be back in the early 1990s, but certainly it is. You take a vow of silence. You take a bus out to this separate facility, and. And it is a solemn event, regardless of how you feel about the death penalty. This is something that everyone takes seriously who takes part in this type of execution. But outside of South Carolina, I didn't realize this. Do you know how rare. Rare firing squads have been yeah, Only.
TJ Holmes
Utah has carried it out. Only before South Carolina started this year, and I think it was three since 76.
Amy Robach
Yes. And you just nailed it. Yes. Only three prisoners in the United States have been executed by firing squad since 1977. And they were all in the state of Utah. And most recently. Yeah, 2010. So this year has been a heck of a year for South Carolina using that firing squad. Three different times happening again today. And, you know, it's. It's a. I can't imagine being asked. And we've had folks who say they want one method of execution and then get scared because they hear a story. There's a report there have been so many executions this year that they try to change their mind and the state won't let them. Once you've made your call about what or how you want to die, you kind of have to stick with it.
TJ Holmes
That makes sense because a lot of preparation has to go into this, and that makes sense. And that gentleman, I can't remember which state, but yeah, he made the argument he chose lethal injection, but he. He uses that as a grounds of trying to get clemency. Was saying, hey, that was a lot of information. I didn't know about this ahead of time. Well, that's just SOL at that point. But, yeah, it's. It's some of the details about the experiences some folks have and how long they've been alive afterwards, how long they were uncomfortable, the way their bodies were gyrating, heads going up. One guy even said, I can't remember the quote, but he told him, hey, I am in pain. This hurts so bad while it's going on. So the firing squad is terrifying. I would prefer you all to shoot me in the heart than to go through just a needle in the vein in my arm.
Amy Robach
That goes to show the level of fear that has now arisen around lethal injection. But I thought it was pretty interesting a couple weeks back. And again, we have been covering executions quite extensively because there have been a record number of executions this year. It is staggering the number we have had this year versus in years past. But one judge, in reading an appeal from someone trying to say, hey, can you commute my death penalty to life in prison? Saying, inciting this unfair pain, this cruel, unusual punishment. And the judge said, if you're going to die, you have to expect a reasonable amount of pain that comes with death. You can't escape it. So that was not an argument in her mind. And I thought it was actually a fairly logical point she's making. If you are Going to die. Most people don't get to die without pain. You are not any, you know, any different than anyone else. This is expected. This is what comes with death.
TJ Holmes
Cruel and unusual doesn't mean comfortable. And that's. You have to. We're deciding to kill somebody and want to make sure you're as comfortable as possible. No, here's a nice pillow.
Amy Robach
No, it's not how it works exactly.
TJ Holmes
No, that, that judge, the one you're talking about, I remember in all these arguments and all this stuff we read, it was very plain spoken and I appreciated it.
Amy Robach
Yes. And, and sometimes that's what it takes. You've got, you know, all of these, you've got lengthy appeals processes for all of these inmates to try and make sure that their due process was correctly instated. However, it's, you see these last minute appeals, no one wants to die. Very few people go into that death chamber even though they've committed the crimes they've done. Even those who have admitted the heinous crimes that they have committed. Very few do we see anyone just go in and say, I deserve this. Let's get this over with. They fight like hell to the very end to try and stop it overwhelmingly.
TJ Holmes
But I know you remember too. It was the guy, he's the only one in Florida. It was the one before this one. He's the only guy in Florida this year to skip all of the appeals. He just said, nah. Well, I can't remember his name, but he's the only one above this year who has done that.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Wow.
TJ Holmes
So, yes, it is incredibly rare. And why was. Yeah, you, you, you think. But when it comes to the end, when your time is up, you can see these folks are fighting to stay alive.
Amy Robach
They are.
TJ Holmes
That's just human nature.
Amy Robach
It is human nature. That's a good way to put it. But yes, so far, 42 people and he will be number 43 last year, by the way, 25 in all of 2024. So this has been an exceptional year. And we've been bringing you all the details.
TJ Holmes
I believe it's five, I think, scheduled for December.
Amy Robach
Correct.
TJ Holmes
Okay, so.
Amy Robach
So we have more to come, but we'll see what 2026 brings. But there are a lot of folks who are already scheduled. We've already seen the list growing for next year. This is not going away anytime soon. Regardless of how you feel, this is how we deal with our most violent offenders in this country. And with that, everyone, thank you for joining us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. Hope you Have a nice night.
Kalpen (Kal Penn) and Ed Helms
Hey audiobook lovers. I'm Kalpen. I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Each week we sit down with your favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from Audible, listen to hearsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Irsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app today.
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Amy Robach
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Amy Robach
A GLP one helped you lose weight, but now you're noticing unwanted facial changes?
TJ Holmes
Yeah, the weight came off, but facial volume loss and dull sagging skin are making you look older. That's where the next phase of your weight loss journey comes in.
Amy Robach
There's before weight loss, after weight loss, and then the after After.
TJ Holmes
Yeah, help restore and refresh your facial skin and reclaim natural looking youthful glow.
Amy Robach
To learn more, visit face after weight loss.com that's face after weight loss.com tired.
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Amy Robach
This is an Iheart podcast.
Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present (iHeartPodcasts)
Air Date: November 15, 2025
Hosts: Amy Robach & TJ Holmes
Episode Topic: The execution of Stephen Bryant, a convicted murderer in South Carolina, who chose death by firing squad
This episode centers on the execution, by firing squad, of Stephen Bryant in South Carolina—a man convicted of killing three people over five days in 2004. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes provide context on the case, discuss the legal arguments around Bryant's execution, delve into the current resurgence of firing squads as a method of capital punishment, and reflect on the broader societal and legal issues surrounding the death penalty in the US.
The episode maintains a serious, respectful, and matter-of-fact tone throughout, with Amy and TJ guiding listeners through a difficult topic. They balance reporting grisly criminal details with reflections on the broader questions of morality, legal process, and the evolving nature of America’s death penalty.
For listeners seeking an in-depth, nuanced look at capital punishment and the realities behind executions in modern America, this episode offers detailed coverage and candid discussion.