Tag Archives: death penalty

A lawyer for Death Row inmate Terrance Phillips wants the Florida Supreme Court to order an investigation into allegations of racism involving the circuit judge who sentenced the Jacksonville man to death — including accusations that the judge once said blacks should “go back to Africa.” Judge Mark Hulsey, elected …

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — One of the two men accused of killing a Florida State University professor is pleading not guilty to the charges. Sigfredo Garcia appeared in a Leon County court on Friday as his attorney sought his release on bail until trial. A grand jury last week indicted …

Steven James Murray, in jail on charges of kidnapping and killing St. Augustine priest, Rev. Rene Wayne Robert, gets moved to a third jail after attempted suicide.

The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in a case focused on whether the state's new death penalty law is constitutional.

Arguing that state law requires it, a who's who of prominent attorneys --- including former presidents of the American Bar Association --- are advising the Florida Supreme Court to reduce the death sentences of all inmates awaiting execution to life in prison.

Late Monday night state legislators reached a final deal on a roughly $80 billion budget and are positioned to approve it later in the week.

On Monday, Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a measure designed to fix the state's death-penalty after it was found unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in January. The Court found the old system of giving judges, not juries, the power to impose death sentences was an unconstitutional violation of defendants' right to trial by jury.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled nearly a month ago Scott has not made any recommendations and on Wednesday the governor said that he won't weigh in until state legislators send him a bill.