FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Florida has executed 13 inmates so far this year, more than any other state, and is on track to nearly double its previous annual record by the end of 2025.
With two additional executions scheduled, the total could reach 15 before the year ends.
For Herman Lindsey, these numbers strike close to home. Lindsey spent years on Florida’s death row after being wrongfully convicted in 2006 for the 1994 murder of a Fort Lauderdale pawn shop owner. His conviction was overturned in 2009, when the Florida Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the evidence against him was insufficient.
“Death is not a punishment,” Lindsey said. “It is highly, highly possible that you may kill an innocent person.”
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, 30 people in Florida have been exonerated after receiving death sentences since 1973 — the highest number in the nation.
Florida’s most recent execution occurred this week when Victor Jones was put to death after spending more than 30 years on death row for killing a married couple near Wynwood in 1990.
Governor Ron DeSantis, who has signed the death warrants, has defended the record pace, saying, “Some crimes are so horrific that the only appropriate punishment is the death penalty.”
DeSantis added that executions can bring a sense of justice to victims’ families. “This can’t bring their loved ones back, but it can provide some closure,” he said.
Florida’s aggressive use of the death penalty follows recent changes in state law.
In 2016, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that death sentences required a unanimous jury recommendation. However, after the 2018 Parkland school shooting, DeSantis signed legislation lowering the threshold — now, only eight of 12 jurors must agree to impose the death penalty.
Meanwhile, the states tied for second place in executions this year have carried out just four each, highlighting how far Florida’s pace exceeds the rest of the nation.
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