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Death sentence

Justices rejects Florida appeal over death penalty

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The Supreme Court has left in place a lower court ruling that said imposing a death sentence in Florida requires a unanimous jury. The justices on Monday turned away an appeal from Florida officials seeking to overturn the ruling last year from the state’s highest court. The Florida Supreme Court had struck down a newly enacted law allowing a defendant to be sentenced to death as long as 10 out of 12 jurors recommend it. That ruling concluded that Timothy…

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Unanimous jury bill unanimously OK’d in House

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A bill requiring a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence was unanimously cleared by a House panel Wednesday. The Criminal Justice Subcommittee OK’d the bill (HB 527) by Rep. Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican. But the approval was after several public comments that the legislation didn’t go far enough to truly overhaul the state’s capital punishment system. In 2016, the Legislature passed and Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill requiring at least 10 of the 12 members of a jury…

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Bill on unanimous jury for death sentence clears first panel

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A bill requiring a unanimous jury recommendation for a death sentence was OK’d by a Senate panel Monday. The legislation (SB 280) was cleared unanimously by the Senate Criminal Justice Committee. It’s sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Randolph Bracy of Ocoee, the panel’s chair. Monday’s vote comes as a staff analysis said death penalty cases in Florida “have essentially ground to a halt.” In 2016, the Legislature passed and Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill requiring at least 10 of the 12…

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Florida Senate narrowly votes down death penalty change

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A sharply divided Florida Senate is rejecting a proposal to require a unanimous jury recommendation in death penalty cases. The Senate voted twice Wednesday on whether to require all 12 jurors to agree on death sentences. The proposal was rejected by votes of 22-18 and 23-17. Florida doesn’t require unanimous jury recommendations. But the Legislature is poised to change the law, requiring at least 10 out of 12 to recommend execution in order for it to be carried out. The…

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