Now that the modern death penalty is 40 years old in South Carolina, what do we know about its effectiveness as a form of punishment, and what is the cost to our state, both in terms of human as well as financial resources? In this course, members will hear from experts on the death penalty about thetrends of when and how the death penalty across the US is enacted, its impact on individuals and communities, and ways that others are taking what they've learned about the death penalty and proposing alternative but hopefully effective penalties. This course will include lectures from system- impacted speakers, including legal experts, a murder victim family member, a death row family member, and a death row survivor. As with any potentially controversial topic with social and political implications, respectful behavior and conversation will be expected.

Rev. Hillary Taylor is the Executive Director of South Carolinians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (SCADP). Before working for SCADP, Hillary spent time working as a young adult missionary in South Africa and Miami, FL, a pastor in Saluda, SC, and a hospital chaplain at Greenville Memorial Hospital. A graduate of both Furman University and Candler School of Theology (Emory University), Hillary has been working against the death penalty since organizing with the #KellyOnMyMind Campaign in 2015 for Kelly Gissendaner in Georgia. When she returned to South Carolina, she became the spiritual advisor to Brad Sigmon, who was executed on March 7, 2025. She continues abolition work in his memory. When she is not working, Hillary loves being outdoors, doing yard work, and spending time with her wife and pets.