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Florida Counties Big Part of Harvard Law Death Penalty Study

August 24th, 2016 by flanews

A new study from Harvard Law shows a decline in the death penalty in America since the 1970’s, but as Matt Galka tells us, some counties in Florida aren’t fitting into the trend.

Only 16 counties in the country imposed 5 or more death sentences between 2010 and 2015. And four of them are right here in Florida according to Harvard Law School’s Fair Punishment Project.

Hillsborough, Miami Dade, Pinellas, and Duval Counties were all named – with Duval being a focus.  The report slammed county prosecutors and State Attorney Angela Corey.

Ingrid Delgado with the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is disappointed Florida isn’t following national trends.

“For a long time, the Bishops of Florida have been calling for an end to the use of the death penalty, so this study just confirms that the death penalty disproportionately effects minorities, the mentally ill, and the poor,” she said.

Death penalty cases around the state remain in limbo waiting on the state’s supreme court to give guidance on capital punishment.

Florida lawmakers raised the requirement this year so that 10 out of 12 jurors need to recommend a death sentence – a change that’s still being disputed.

“We would prefer that we end using the death penalty at all, but if we are a state that does use the death penalty, it should be recommended by a unanimous jury,” said Delgado.

The report found that in 2015 across the country – 49 death sentences were recommended – the fewest amount since 1976. The report is the first of two, with the second report focusing on the other Florida counties named as death penalty outlives.

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