TALHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) – More than 100 faith leaders across the state are urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to halt the death penalty as Florida approaches modern records.
These leaders walked to the Capitol on Tuesday to deliver a letter to the governor’s office, hoping he would consider their plea.
So far, there have been seven executions this year, but now the state is in line with a total of nine records, with two more scheduled runs.
“The only one decides who lives and who dies without checks or balance. My friends are not justice. That’s what we call vengeance.”
Faith leaders walked from Tallahassee’s first Presbyterian church to the state capitol, hand-delivered letters to the governor’s office, asking them to open dialogue not only about executions but about the future of the death penalty in Florida.
One of those voices was Deacon Andy Grossmair, who shared a deep personal story about losing her daughter who was killed by her boyfriend.
Grossmair said in his eyes that the death penalty only prolongs the pain and prevents the closure of mourning families.
“Now, with the help of God, through our community through our faith, we have found the forgiveness of the young man who killed his daughter,” Grossmair said.
He highlighted concerns about the execution of innocent people alongside Grossmary, a leader like Minor, a preacher at Tampa Life Church, and said there were 30 people who were sentenced to death but were later proven innocent in the state.
“The question is, how many people are willing to put murder in danger in the name of justice?” Minor said.
But DeSantis has defended the death penalty in the past, calling it the worst reaction to the worst crime.
“If you see these things on your desk, these are brutal and brutal crimes,” DeSantis said. “It’s overwhelmingly sadistic. It shocks your conscience.”
When faith leaders seek compassion, the governor defends justice and leaves Florida at a crossroads.
I still can’t see where this conversation goes from here. The governor’s office did not provide a new response on Tuesday, so he pointed out his previous comments on the death penalty from the beginning of the year to us.
