Death Warrant — Vigil and Service of Remembrance

Governor Rick Scott signed a death warrant for Oba Chandler.
We will hold a vigil in front of the Governor’s mansion on the day and time of the execution — Tuesday, November 15th at 4 p.m.
On the next day, Wednesday, November 16, at 12 noon there will be a Service of Remembrance for Mr. Chandler and the victims at the Rotunda of the Capitol.

Please join us.

The Death Penalty: Evolving Issues in Florida

The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights & the American Bar Association present:The Death Penalty: Evolving Issues in Florida

A two-hour forum that will include perspective and commentary from FSU President Emeritus, former Dean of the College of Law and former American Bar Association President Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte; former Florida Supreme Court Justice Raoul Cantero; 2nd Judicial Circuit Judge Janet Ferris (retired); 18th Judicial Circuit Judge O.H. Eaton (retired) and former member of the ABA Florida Death Penalty Assessment Team; Harry Shorstein, former Fourth Read More

Florida lawmaker proposes firing squads for death row inmates

By Toluse Olorunnipa, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
In Print: TALLAHASSEE — At least one Florida lawmaker wants to test the limits of cruel and unusual punishment with what he calls a “lead cocktail.”
Rep. Brad Drake, a Republican from the Panhandle town of Eucheeanna, has filed legislation to introduce firing squads to Florida’s death row.
The idea, Drake said, grew out of a recent controversy surrounding the state’s new lethal injection practice. Last month, Manuel Valle was executed with a cocktail of drugs never before used in a Florida execution. The drug pentobarbital knocks inmates unconscious before a second drug paralyzes them and a third stops the heart. Read More

Valle Executed

Important — from Mark Elliott of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty:
Valle Executed

“The struggle for justice doesn’t end with me. This struggle is for all the Troy Davises who came before me and all the ones who will come after me.” — Troy Davis

Friends,

After an afternoon of misinformation from the some media reports, it has been confirmed by the Governor’s office and the DOC that Manuel Valle was pronounced dead at 7:14 pm Eastern Time.

The 4:00 pm execution had been put on hold for almost 3 hours to await a U.S. Supreme Court decision on a stay. The stay was denied and the execution commenced. It is not yet confirmed that Manuel Valle was on the gurney with IV’s started during the entire wait.

There were a dozen execution vigils and protests around our state today. Thanks to every one of you who are working to end this madness in whatever way you can. Writing Letters to the Editor, calls, emails, letters and visits to your representatives, supporting FADP…are all needed. Working together we will see an end to executions in our time…for all time.

“Never Stop Fighting for Justice and We will Win!”

—Troy Anthony Davis, Oct. 9, 1968 – Sept. 21, 2011

Shine the light,

—Mark

Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, files a bill to abolish the death penalty in Florida.

Less than a week before the state is scheduled to execute Manuel Valle, a Democratic House member has filed a bill to abolish the death penalty in Florida.

The measure (HB 4051), filed Thursday, would do away with the death penalty and instead sentence the state’s worst offenders to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Read More

Manuel Valle’s petition -Broward Palm Beach New Times Blog

South Florida-  Manuel Valle’s petition asking for a stay of execution was denied today by the Florida Supreme Court.

His scheduled date with death remains September 28, 2011, at 4 p.m. Read More

Good and Bad news …. 5 items

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the board of Tallahassee Citizens Against the Death Penalty, I have some bad news and some good announcements – all for early September – 6, 7, and 11.

The Governor has set a new date for the killing of Manuel Valle. It is now scheduled for Tuesday, September 6 at 6 p.m.

Please attend the Vigil in front of the Governor’s mansion on September 6th at 6 p.m. This will be the first in the Scott administration.

On the following day, Wednesday, September 7th, we will gather at the Capitol Rotunda at 12 noon for a Memorial Service for Mr. Valle and for victim, Louis Pena.
Read More

Florida’s Catholic bishops repeated their plea for Gov. Rick Scott ….

Travis Pillow writes in the Florida Independent that Florida’s Catholic bishops repeated their plea for Gov. Rick Scott to call off the execution of Manuel Valle, the subject of Scott’s first death warrant.

Valle was convicted of the 1978 killing of a Coral Gables police officer, and first sentenced in 1981. He then waged a decades-long series of appeals, including most recently a challenge to Florida’s lethal injection drug mixture and procedures, which allowed him to delay his scheduled execution.

The Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling Thursday allowing the execution to proceed. It is scheduled for Sept. 1. Read More

The saga of Manuel Valle

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has asked U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to lift a stay of execution ordered by the state’s highest court.
Bondi filed the request after the Florida Supreme Court on Monday ordered a month-long stay for Manuel Valle.
He was had been scheduled for execution Aug. 2 for killing a Coral Gables police officer 33 years ago.
The state justices, in a 4-3 ruling, ordered the stay so a trial judge can hold a fact-finding hearing on whether Valle would feel pain from a new drug Florida plans to use for lethal injection.
Bondi’s filing says that issue already has been decided in cases from other states.
Thomas can lift the stay, but death row cases usually are referred to the full court.

Florida Supreme Court overturned death sentences Thursday

By Brent Kallestad
The Associated Press

The Florida Supreme Court overturned death sentences Thursday for convicted killers from Jacksonville and Zephyrhills. Read More