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April 24, 2025TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida’s Catholic bishops have asked Governor Ron DeSantis to stay the execution of Jeffrey Hutchinson and commute his sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Hutchinson is scheduled to be executed on May 1. He was convicted of the 1998 murders of Renee Flaherty and her three children, Geoffrey, Amanda, and Logan Flaherty. A sentence of death was imposed for the murder of each child. A life sentence was imposed for the murder of Ms. Flaherty.
In a letter to DeSantis, FCCB Executive Director Michael Sheedy wrote, "We mourn the tragic deaths of these victims and pray for the repose of their souls. We lament the pain and suffering of their family and friends, and we hope for their comfort and healing."
Nevertheless, the bishops urged the governor to spare Hutchinson's life. "The intrinsic dignity and unalienable rights of every human being are not annihilated by even gravely evil acts,” wrote Sheedy. “Despite his grievous crimes, Mr. Hutchinson still deserves to be treated in accordance with that dignity."
Sheedy’s letter noted that commuting Hutchinson's sentence enables the state of Florida to serve the requirements of justice without vengeance. Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole is a severe punishment, which also serves to protect society from further danger.
The Catholic Church teaches that all human life is sacred. Even people who have committed terrible acts and caused great harm possess a human dignity instilled by God, our Creator. The death penalty attacks the inviolability of the human person and perpetuates the cycle of violence that is prevalent in our culture. Given our modern penal system, executions are unnecessary. Life-long incarceration without the possibility of parole is a severe yet more humane punishment that ensures societal safety, allows the guilty the possibility of redemption, and offers closure for victims of crime and their families.
Prior to Hutchinson’s scheduled execution, Floridians will gather across the state to pray for him, Ms. Flaherty, Geoffrey, Amanda, and Logan, and their family, for an end to the use of the death penalty, and for DeSantis as he considers the request to stay the execution.
Full text of letter to DeSantis
# # #The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops is an agency of the Catholic Bishops of Florida. It speaks for the Church in matters of public policy and serves as liaison to the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The archbishop and bishops of the seven (arch)dioceses in Florida constitute its board of directors.