Thank you to all FLCAN members who responded to our action alert to contact Governor Scott, requesting that Michael Lambrix's execution be stayed and his sentence be commuted to life without parole. Sadly, the execution was carried out on October 5. The next day, a death warrant was signed scheduling yet another execution. Patrick Hannon is scheduled for execution on November 8.
This would be the third execution since Florida enacted a law requiring juries be unanimous in recommending death sentences. On October 10, the Florida House Judiciary Committee received an update presented by the Office of State Courts addressing effects of the new law including that the Florida Supreme Court has held it to be only partially retroactive. Only cases that were finalized after June 2002 and had non-unanimous juries are eligible for resentencing.
The FCCB supported unanimous jury legislation for many years as an incremental improvement in our state. However, passage of this legislation should only be the beginning of a deeper review of the many flaws with Florida's death penalty. This week on the 25th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism, Pope Francis declared that the death penalty is contrary to the Gospel because it attacks the dignity of the human person. The Holy Father stated that he would like to see the Catechism address this topic more coherently.