This is Mikal
The State of South Carolina plans to execute him for murders committed when he was only 21, after enduring years of abuse and trauma as a child.
The State of South Carolina plans to execute him for murders committed when he was only 21, after enduring years of abuse and trauma as a child.
Mikal Mahdi, a 14-year-old boy, was struggling with despair and thoughts of suicide.
Mikal needed mental health care. Instead, he was sent to juvenile prison.
While most teenagers were playing sports, going to school, and hanging out with their friends, Mikal was locked away in solitary confinement.
When he was only 21, Mikal’s unthinkable childhood culminated in two tragic murders.
At trial, Mikal’s lawyers failed him. The testimony explaining his tragic life lasted less than 30 minutes.
Now, the State of South Carolina wants to execute Mikal.
Mikal Mahdi is a smart, creative, intellectually curious person who could have done so much more with his life. He just never got the chance. And everyone deserves a chance.
WATCH THIS 3-MINUTE VIDEO TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MIKAL'S STORY.
through the timeline of major events in his life:
1988 | Age 5
Mikal’s mother is forced to leave her marriage after years of abuse by Mikal’s father. Mikal and his brother are left behind with their volatile father.
1991 | Age 8
Mikal’s family realizes his dad isn’t taking care of him. As a result, Mikal leaves home in Virginia and is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in Baltimore.
1992 | Age 9
Mikal's school principal contacts his aunt and uncle after he makes a suicidal statement at school.
1993 | Age 9
Following suicidal statements, Mikal is hospitalized for two months, diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and treated with psychiatric medications.
1993 | Age 9
Mikal’s third grade teacher highlights his potential, saying he is warm and pleasant in groups.
1995 | Age 12
After returning home to Virginia, teachers recommend special education services because Mikal is depressed and struggling in school. But instead of accepting help, Mikal’s father pulls him from elementary school when he’s still only in 4th grade.
1998 | Age 14
At the age of 14, with still-untreated depression and trauma, Mikal is locked up in a Virginia juvenile prison after committing property crimes.
1999 | Age 16
Mikal’s trauma and depression cause him to lash out. But instead of receiving trauma treatment, 16-year-old Mikal is locked away in solitary confinement. This happens repeatedly, with stretches in solitary as long as 5 to 10 days at a time.
1999 | Age 16
Records show that Mikal’s deep depression, hopelessness, and suicide attempts continued throughout his years as a teenager in prison. At 16, he tries to electrocute himself and is placed on suicide watch.
2000 | Age 18
During a brief stint out of juvenile custody, at age 18, Mikal commits a serious assault and is sent to an adult prison in Virginia. During his next three years of incarceration, Mikal receives no meaningful treatment for his childhood trauma. As a result, his outbursts in prison continue.
2001 | Age 19
At 19 years old, Mikal is moved to Virginia’s Wallens Ridge State Prison, a harsh supermax facility known for human rights abuses, including officers using racial slurs and excessive use of five-point restraints even for minor rules violations. Mikal reported that he was called racist names, was repeatedly tased and shot with rubber bullets, and saw other inmates get beaten by guards so badly they became nonresponsive.
2004 | Age 21
In 2004, at age 21, Mikal is finally released from prison at Wallens Ridge. All told, after the age of 14, Mikal had spent over 80% of his life in juvenile and adult prison facilities. As a depressed and traumatized teen, he lived through hundreds of hours of solitary confinement.
Mikal’s capital crimes would occur little more than two months after his release from prison.
In 2004, at age 21, Mikal committed the tragic murders of Captain James Myers and Christopher Boggs.
Today, as an adult, Mikal is remorseful and accepts responsibility for his actions.
Mikal doesn’t have to be executed
People are speaking up for Mikal
People who love and support Mikal know the murders he committed were horrible and inexcusable.
Their hearts go out to the families of the victims. They also know that Mikal is more than those tragic decisions.
"Mikal was only with his mother for a few years. He wasn’t old enough to remember any of her love or nurturing. After she left, Mikal was stranded with his dad, who was unstable, unwell, and had way too many problems of his own to give Mikal the care and guidance he needed. Mikal endured more than any child should have to."
"I’m so sorry for everyone in this situation, especially the people Mikal killed and their families. But this doesn’t have to end with Mikal’s execution. I know there’s good in him. I saw it when he was a boy. If Mikal is allowed to live, I truly believe he can and will become a better person."
Mikal Mahdi should serve a life without parole sentence instead of being put to death.
Children should not be mistreated by the State and then executed by the State.
Resources
Learn more about Mikal’s case.