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Associated PressMarch 23, 2017

Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran has called on the governor to suspend a prosecutor for pledging to not seek the death penalty in any case while she is in office. Corcoran said Thursday that Orlando State Attorney Aramis Ayala was “violating the constitution” because she is not even considering the death penalty. Capital punishment is […]

Scott PowersMarch 16, 2017

Former State Attorney Jeff Ashton – former boss and then election opponent to current State Attorney Aramis Ayala – said Thursday he believes she might not have legal ground to take the unprecedented “no death penalty” position she announced earlier Thursday. Ashton also said he believes Ayala may have adopted the position to please her political benefactor, […]

Scott PowersMarch 16, 2017

Saying she has concluded that Florida’s capital punishment laws are unjust for all, State Attorney Aramis Ayala announced Thursday she would not pursue the death penalty in any cases in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, which includes Orlando. The policy begins with perhaps the most obvious and highest-profile potential death penalty case that has come along […]

Brendan FarringtonMarch 10, 2017

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Florida will require a unanimous jury recommendation before the death penalty can be imposed under a bill lawmakers sent to Gov. Rick Scott on Friday. Lawmakers rushed to get the bill passed on the fourth day of their legislative session in hopes of fixing a death penalty law that’s been found unconstitutional twice since January […]

Associated PressFebruary 20, 2017

Florida prosecutors can seek the death penalty in ongoing cases despite a state Supreme Court ruling that found a new death penalty law unconstitutional. The court ruled Monday that the death penalty can be applied as long as there is a unanimous jury recommendation. It ruled last October that a new state law requiring at […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 15, 2017

A bill requiring a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence was unanimously cleared by a House panel Wednesday. The Criminal Justice Subcommittee OK’d the bill (HB 527) by Rep. Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican. But the approval was after several public comments that the legislation didn’t go far enough to truly overhaul the state’s capital […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 7, 2017

A bill requiring a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence was OK’d by a Senate panel Monday. The legislation (SB 280) was cleared unanimously by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. It’s sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Randolph Bracy of Ocoee, the panel’s chair. Monday’s vote comes as a staff analysis said death penalty cases in Florida […]

Jim RosicaDecember 23, 2016

The state’s leading death penalty opposition group is calling for more than 200 Florida death row inmates to have their sentences reduced to life imprisonment. Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) says a Florida Supreme Court decision on convicted killer Mark Asay out Thursday means that many are “entitled to be resentenced.” The court […]

Associated PressJune 8, 2016

Florida’s Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether the legislature’s changes to the state death penalty law can be applied to pending cases. Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeal has asked justices whether the new law can be applied in the case of Larry Darnell Perry, who is accused of killing his 3-month-old son in […]

Jim RosicaMay 31, 2016

A plethora of high-profile matters is scheduled for argument before the Florida Supreme Court next week. The state’s justices will consider questions related to gambling, guns, capital punishment and medical malpractice. Another case involves claim bills, passed by lawmakers to pay people for injuries suffered at the hands of government or a public entity. Still two others involve attorneys […]

Tag: capital punishment
Supporters celebrate the opening of a wheel-chair accessible playground at Anastasia State Park. Image via Florida State Parks Foundation.

Florida Speaker: Suspend prosecutor who nixes death penalty

Jeff Ashton: Aramis Ayala may not have legal grounds to ban death penalty

Orlando State Attorney Aramis Ayala vows no death penalties

Florida’s death penalty fix heads to Rick Scott

Florida prosecutors can seek death penalty despite questions

Unanimous jury bill unanimously OK’d in House

Bill on unanimous jury for death sentence clears first panel

After Asay decision, anti-death penalty advocates call for commutations

Florida Supreme Court considers new death penalty law

Bevy of big cases awaits state Supreme Court