For years, Democratic lawmakers have tried and failed to repeal Florida's death penalty, with the Legislature's majority Republicans arguing the punishment is an effective deterrent.
As the 2015 legislative session approaches, however, Democrats are rolling out a new strategy: A new bill by Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, that would require the state to disclose the names of the executioners in charge of administering lethal injections to death row inmates.
Under a long-standing state law, executioners' identities are kept secret, even though they carry out the most solemn of responsibilities.
Supporters of the bill, HB 4003, say it could ultimately mobilize an outpouring of public opposition to the death penalty, because the state's executioners are presumed to be amateurs who aren't required to be doctors or nurses.
In one highly scrutinized case, an executioner had to give an inmate an extra injection when he continued to move and mouth words after the first dose.
HB 4003 — Death Penalty
Deletes provisions providing for death penalty for capital felonies; deletes associated provisions, including provisions relating to representation in death penalty cases, capital collateral representation, jurors in capital cases, prohibiting imposition of death sentence on defendant with mental retardation, determination of whether to impose sentence of death or life imprisonment for capital felony or capital drug trafficking felony, issuance of warrant of execution, stay of execution of death sentence, proceedings when person under sentence of death appears to be insane, proceedings when person under sentence of death appears to be pregnant, grounds for death warrant, execution of death sentence, prohibition against reduction of death sentence as result of determination that method of execution is unconstitutional, sentencing orders in capital cases, regulation of execution, transfer to state prison for safekeeping before death warrant issued, return of warrant of execution issued by Governor, sentence of death unexecuted for unjustifiable reasons, & return of warrant of execution issued by Supreme Court.