Post by SoulTrainOz on Jul 4, 2006 1:31:29 GMT -5
The nation's highest court has denied a request from convicted killer Danny Rolling to review his death sentence.
But, although the decision exhausts Rolling's ordinary federal appeals, a death warrant for the man who pleaded guilty to killing 5 Gainesville college students in 1990 remains indefinitely on hold while questions about lethal injection continue in the courts.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a case from another Florida death row inmate and unanimously ruled that inmates can file last-minute appeals on the method of execution. It then sent the matter back to the lower federal courts to consider civil rights issues that the same case raised over lethal injection.
Before the decision, Gov. Jeb Bush had postponed all executions while the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the issue. That stay will remain in place while the case is in the lower courts, in spite of the decision on Rolling, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jeb Bush's press office said Tuesday.
State Attorney Bill Cervone applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision, handed down Monday, on Rolling, 52.
And, Cervone said, he had not anticipated any immediate action by the governor's office regarding a death warrant because of pending matters involving lethal injection.
"I would be surprised if he would sign it before that issue would get resolved," Cervone said.
"But for (the lethal injection issue), I would have thought that this may well clear the way for the governor to file the warrant," he said.
Cervone also stressed that the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear Rolling's case is another victory for prosecutors and the state in a string of appeals the inmate has filed.
"It is very good news. It eliminates one more potential series of delays," he said.
The speed of the U.S. Supreme Court refusal to hear Rolling's request surprised the state.
In February, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta denied Rolling's appeal. It took almost 5 years for the appeal to work its way through the lower federal courts.
Rolling had been convicted of killing 5 college students at the start of the 1990 fall semester in Gainesville. His victims were Sonja Larson, 18, of Deerfield Beach; Christina Powell, 17, of Jacksonville; Christa Hoyt, 19, of Archer; Tracy Paules, 23, of Miami; and Manuel Taboada, 23, of Miami.
At this point, Cervone said, Rolling's sentence apparently rests on what happens with legal issues raised over lethal injection.
"It's got everything on hold in essence," he said.
(source for both: Gainesville Sun)
But, although the decision exhausts Rolling's ordinary federal appeals, a death warrant for the man who pleaded guilty to killing 5 Gainesville college students in 1990 remains indefinitely on hold while questions about lethal injection continue in the courts.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a case from another Florida death row inmate and unanimously ruled that inmates can file last-minute appeals on the method of execution. It then sent the matter back to the lower federal courts to consider civil rights issues that the same case raised over lethal injection.
Before the decision, Gov. Jeb Bush had postponed all executions while the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed the issue. That stay will remain in place while the case is in the lower courts, in spite of the decision on Rolling, a spokeswoman for Gov. Jeb Bush's press office said Tuesday.
State Attorney Bill Cervone applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision, handed down Monday, on Rolling, 52.
And, Cervone said, he had not anticipated any immediate action by the governor's office regarding a death warrant because of pending matters involving lethal injection.
"I would be surprised if he would sign it before that issue would get resolved," Cervone said.
"But for (the lethal injection issue), I would have thought that this may well clear the way for the governor to file the warrant," he said.
Cervone also stressed that the U.S. Supreme Court's refusal to hear Rolling's case is another victory for prosecutors and the state in a string of appeals the inmate has filed.
"It is very good news. It eliminates one more potential series of delays," he said.
The speed of the U.S. Supreme Court refusal to hear Rolling's request surprised the state.
In February, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta denied Rolling's appeal. It took almost 5 years for the appeal to work its way through the lower federal courts.
Rolling had been convicted of killing 5 college students at the start of the 1990 fall semester in Gainesville. His victims were Sonja Larson, 18, of Deerfield Beach; Christina Powell, 17, of Jacksonville; Christa Hoyt, 19, of Archer; Tracy Paules, 23, of Miami; and Manuel Taboada, 23, of Miami.
At this point, Cervone said, Rolling's sentence apparently rests on what happens with legal issues raised over lethal injection.
"It's got everything on hold in essence," he said.
(source for both: Gainesville Sun)