Florida House Speaker-designate Richard Corcoran denounced a Florida Supreme Court ruling Friday requiring unanimous jury votes to impose the death penalty.
“Today’s ruling in Hurst v. Florida is just the latest example of the Florida Supreme Court’s ongoing effort to subvert the will of the people as expressed by their elected representatives,” Corcoran said in a written statement.
“This decision is indicative of a court that comes to a conclusion, then seeks a judicial pathway, however tortured, to achieve its desired result. That is antithetical to the rule of law and dangerous for our state.”
The court voted, 5-2, to strike down a state law allowing death sentences on the recommendation of at least 10 members of a 12-person jury. In a separate ruling, the court opened the possibility of sentence reductions for other death row prisoners.
Gov. Rick Scott’s office said he was reviewing the ruling and had no immediate comment.
The Legislature passed the law in question in response to a January ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, finding that Florida’s death sentencing law gave too much discretion to trial judges.
“With no regard to the Legislature’s constitutional duty to establish policy in this state, the Florida Supreme Court expanded the scope of its decision to issues that were not raised by the parties or considered by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Corcoran said.
“As Justice [Charles] Canady aptly argued in his dissent, the majority opinion unnecessarily disrupts the administration of the death penalty in Florida.”
He promised: “We will take a close look at today’s rulings and consider our options going forward.”
