South Carolina-based journalist Jeffrey Collins observed back-to-back executions in 2025 after the state revived the death penalty following a 13-year pause
Jeffrey Collins has watched 14 men draw their final breaths.
Over 25 years at the Associated Press, the South Carolina-based journalist has repeatedly served as an observer inside the state’s execution chamber, watching from feet away as prison officials kill men who were sentenced to capital punishment. South Carolina has recently kept him unusually busy, with seven back-to-back executions in 14 months.
The state revived the death penalty last September after a 13-year pause caused by the decision of pharmaceutical makers to stop selling lethal injection drugs to the state. Officials acquired pentobarbital, a sedative, only after legislators passed a law shielding the identities of suppliers.
That secrecy surrounding the execution process means the role of observers has never been more vital. Executions aren’t filmed, making journalists’ accounts the only impartial record of state-sponsored killings, their words often cited by lawyers and courts. South Carolina dictates that three journalists, including one from a wire service like AP, can serve as witnesses, acting as pool reporters for other media.
