Richard Barry Randolph Execution

A man convicted of raping and fatally beating his former manager at a Palatka convenience store [in 1988] is scheduled to be put to death next month under a death warrant signed Tuesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is setting a record pace for executions.

A brief in an earlier failed SCOTUS appeal noted the jury chose death by a vote of 8-4. The Supreme Court repeatedly failed to take cases to address old cases without a unanimous jury in capital cases. 

Nonetheless, it is troubling to execute someone when one-third of the jury disagrees. I also continue to find it constitutionally problematic to execute someone after a long, long time (here over thirty-five years).

(See, yet again, Justice Breyer's dissent.) 

Richard Randolph's lawyers failed to hold up the execution, raising many claims. SCOTUS, without comment, turned away a final appeal today. 

Of the 43 executions so far this year, 34 involved at least one female victim. Of those, 21 cases involved sexual violence against the women and six were attacks on domestic partners.

Florida is playing catch-up, leading all states in executions in 2025. It has at least two more scheduled next month. The public welfare has not improved.