Florida state lawmakers have reached a compromise that would allow death penalty executions to continue – a tactic used to alleviate a number of legal attacks since the Supreme Court’s verdict to discontinue executions this past January.
The ruling stated that the state’s process of sentencing people to death was unconstitutional and defective due to the influence judges had over juries, as juries only played an advisory role throughout the process, whereas the judge had the final say and could overrule the jury, violating the Sixth Amendment – guaranteeing the right to trial by jury.The Florida House passed “a new deal,” with a 93-20 vote, that a minimum of ten out of twelve jurors would need to agree to enforce a death sentence. As of now, only a simple majority is required to propose the death sentence. The compromise in question came from those wanting as little as nine jurors to be able to suggest the death penalty, and those who wanted a unanimous decision amongst the jury.
This proposal would necessitate the consent from the state Senate, as well as the signature of Republican Governor Rick Scott, who has signed more death warrants than any other governor since 1976.
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Due to this revelation, Florida’s American Civil Liberties Union called for state officials to revisit the sentences of all 320 death row inmates from the year 2000 to 2012, finding almost half of the sentences were reached after less than ten jurors recommended death.
