In what could be South Carolina’s first execution by firing squad, convicted cop killer Richard Bernard Moore made headlines not just for his crime or his sentence — but for his surprising choice of a “luxury” final meal.
Moore, now 58, was convicted of murdering police officer James Cranford during a botched robbery in 1999. After spending over two decades on death row, the state has scheduled his execution — and Moore has chosen to die by firing squad, becoming the first inmate in the state’s modern history to select this controversial method.
But what’s drawing just as much attention is what he requested before his death.
🥩 A Meal That Sparked a Firestorm
Moore asked for a hearty, high-end meal: a serving of fried fish, a side of rice and hush puppies, plus a double helping of banana pudding. The selection, described by some as “upscale Southern comfort food,” has caused an online uproar, with many questioning why someone convicted of murdering a law enforcement officer is given the privilege of choice at all.
Critics took to social media, calling the custom meal “a final insult” to the officer’s family. Others defended it as a longstanding death row tradition — the last vestige of dignity for the condemned.
“It’s justice, not revenge,” one legal analyst noted. “Even the worst offenders are allowed a final moment of humanity.”
🧨 A Historic Execution Method
South Carolina made headlines in recent years after reinstating the firing squad as a legal execution option — one of only a few states in the U.S. to do so. The state has struggled to obtain lethal injection drugs due to pharmaceutical company restrictions, pushing lawmakers to offer inmates alternative methods: electric chair or firing squad.
Moore opted for the latter.
“I do not believe the firing squad or the electric chair are constitutional,” Moore wrote in a statement, but said he was forced to choose under protest.
He also cited “improper sentencing and bias” in his trial, which his attorneys have echoed in last-minute appeals. So far, no stay of execution has been granted.
⚖️ Victim’s Family Still Seeking Closure
The family of officer James Cranford has long maintained that justice has been delayed for too long. Cranford was responding to a convenience store robbery when Moore shot him in the chest with the officer’s own gun. He died on the scene, leaving behind a wife and children.
Now, 25 years later, the case has returned to the national spotlight — not just for its legal gravity, but for its bizarre and emotionally charged finale.