AIKEN - The South Carolina Supreme Court has cleared the way for the execution of Arthur Hastings Wise, who was convicted of killing four former co-workers during a 1997 shooting rampage at Aiken's R.E. Phelon Co. plant.

The state's highest court reviewed and affirmed a January ruling by Fifth Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cooper that Mr. Wise is competent and can give up his appeals.

The unpublished opinion was released this week.

Mr. Wise was scheduled to be executed in July 2004, but that was stayed after his attorney filed an appeal on the condemned man's behalf. That same day, the Supreme Court received a letter from Mr. Wise claiming the action was taken without his consent.

Mark Plowden, a spokesman for state Attorney General Henry McMaster, said he thinks the execution will occur within weeks of the court issuing new orders.

Chief Justice Jean Toal said the court's next scheduled session will be Tuesday.

"That would be the earliest we would decide anything to do with that case," she said.

She said that while the court could schedule the execution, additional appeals could be filed.

"There's nothing typical about" this case, she said.

Mr. Wise was fired from the manufacturing firm on University Parkway in Aiken weeks before the shootings in September 1997. Besides the four dead, three others were seriously wounded.

Reach J.C. Lexow at (803) 648-1395, ext. 106, or jc.lexow@augustachronicle.com