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Scheduled Execution Would Break Record

October 29th, 2015 by flanews

A temporary suspension of the death penalty is expected to come to an end tonight in Florida. As Matt Galka tells us, the next inmate executed would be a modern record for the state.

Jerry Correll was supposed to be executed earlier this year in February. He was convicted for murdering four people in 1985.  But his execution, and all others, were delayed until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on lethal injection drugs.  He’s now scheduled to die Thursday night.

 

Ingrid Delgado and the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops are asking the Governor to spare his life and convert his death sentence to life in prison.

“We’ve had a nice break in executions, we’ve had a lot of back to back executions for a while, and we’ve had a break now, and I think it’s reminded the state of Florida that we don’t need executions to keep our Floridians safe,” she said.

Thursday’s scheduled execution will be the first in Florida since January.

The Catholic Conference says there’s another problem: The U.S. Supreme Court is currently reviewing a case that could impact the state’s death penalty sentencing.  Florida doesn’t require a unanimous jury to recommend the death penalty.

“It’s another reason to stay this execution. Our capital sentencing schemes are being evaluated,” said Delgado.

Florida is the only state that allows a non-unanimous jury to recommend a death penalty.  State Democrats are pushing a change to state law again. The U.S. Supreme court is expected to rule on the issue in 2016.

Protests are expected outside of Florida State Prison before the execution. If it goes ahead as scheduled, it would be the 22nd under Governor Rick Scott, breaking Jeb Bush’s record of 21.

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