The state of Florida on Thursday executed Loran Cole, a 57-year-old man diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, following the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of a last-minute appeal. Cole, who argued that the progression of his Parkinson’s would make lethal injection inhumane, sought to halt the execution, emphasizing that his uncontrollable movements could hinder the correct placement of the IV lines required for the procedure.
Justice Thomas, the circuit justice for the Eleventh Circuit, which encompasses Florida, reviewed and denied the appeal without providing a signed decision or an explanation, in line with handling emergency cases. Cole’s defense contended that executing him under these medical conditions would result in “needless pain and suffering,” a stance thoroughly detailed in their brief to the Supreme Court.
In response, the Florida Attorney General’s office filed a brief arguing that Cole had ample time, since his diagnosis seven years prior, to challenge the method of execution but chose to delay until the death warrant was signed. The brief also pointed out that Florida utilizes restraints during lethal injections to reduce prisoner mobility.
Cole’s counsel also highlighted the severe trauma he endured as a youth at the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys. They posited that had the jury been aware of this past abuse, the sentencing might have differed. Despite legislative measures introduced by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to compensate certain abuse victims at Dozier, Cole was ineligible under this new law.
On July 29, Governor DeSantis signed Cole’s death warrant. Cole received the death penalty for the 1994 murder of John Edwards, a Florida State University student, during a robbery in a national forest. In the same incident, Cole and an accomplice also sexually assaulted Edwards’ sister, Pam.
The group Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty criticized Cole’s execution, calling it “particularly calculated, and particularly hypocritical” in a statement. They underscored the discretionary power of the governor in setting execution dates and stressed the lack of transparency in the process.
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