Oct. 13, 2026
Why Florida Governor Canceled Today’s Planned Execution Of Brutal, Convicted Killer
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RSS Feed This is the first time Governor Ron DeSantis has ever canceled a planned execution in his nearly 8 years in office. While DeSantis did not officially give a reason for the stay of William Lee Thompson’s execution, an anti death penalty group describes Thompson as “gravely ill, has dementia” and requires complete assistance for basic activities. Thompson has spent nearly 5 years on death row for the heinous and brutal beating death of 23-year-old Sally Iverson, but according to reports, the 74-year-old lacks the mental capacity to understand his situation and the reason why he’s on death row.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Tuesday, October 13th, and Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has signed 20 death warrants this year, but only 19 of those men are expected to be actually executed. Because Ron DeSantis has done something that Ron DeSantis just does not do. He has pulled a death warrant. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ on a day on this Tuesday Robes that they were supposed to be to execute. executions in Florida. One got canceled.
00:00:31
Speaker 2: That's right. That's why there is a 12 noon execution because yes, there was supposed to be a 6 p.m. execution today as well. And that was supposed to be 74-year-old William Lee Thompson finally, and I say finally, heading to the death chamber. And this all took place within days of his planned execution. And as you pointed out, this does not happen. This is the first time Governor DeSantis has withdrawn a death warrant he has signed in his nearly eight years in office.
00:01:05
Speaker 1: And you know what, Robes and I, this does bear some explanation because if some folks heard or saw the headlines that Ron DeSantis has stopped an execution in Florida... They might think, wait a minute, I wonder if this has to do with what happened in Tennessee. The answer is no.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: Yes, because this decision came within a week of Krista Pike's botched execution, actually within days. of her botched execution. So, look, people have tried to draw that conclusion, but it doesn't appear to be the case. However, I do think it's important to say DeSantis did not officially give a reason for the withdrawal. We understand what led up to his making this decision, but he did not weigh in on the why of all of this.
00:01:52
Speaker 1: The why seems pretty clear. This has been going back and forth, and we hear this is.
00:01:59
Speaker 1: You know what? The crime is horrible. The execution is horrible. What he did was horrible. What we are doing is horrible. Robes, it's just, this is on the, look, you don't go to death row just for shooting and killing somebody. There's usually some aggravating factors, Robes, having to do with a lot of these. These factors are as aggravating as it's going to get for you to hear, and we should probably just give you a heads up and a warning. Some of this stuff is really difficult to take.
00:02:27
Speaker 2: I actually don't think that we should even give all the details. That's how bad they are. I mentioned in the episode before this, because we went over who is actually being executed in Florida today, but when we were talking about William Lee Thompson and the fact that his, well, he's, I guess, technically still on death row. His execution for today was canceled. That doesn't mean it couldn't It couldn't happen at a later date.
00:02:57
Speaker 1: He's got time.
00:02:57
Speaker 2: He does have time. But while this man was, was in court and a jury was hearing his crime, one of the jurors fainted in open court upon hearing the details of what he was convicted of doing to a 23 year old woman. Her name was Sally Ivester, and we'll get into that in just a bit, but Look, in terms of the execution, we know that he signed a letter on October 8th, that's five days exactly before his scheduled election, execution, excuse me, and DeSantis wrote, Dear Warden Polk, I hereby withdraw the death warrant, which I previously signed on September 11th, 2026, to carry out the sentence for William Lee Thompson. Sincerely, Ron DeSantis. So it's interesting that less than a week after issuing this death warrant, he then created a three-member panel of psychiatrists to evaluate whether or not Thompson was legally sane or not. And that was the big question. What was his mental capacity?
00:04:05
Speaker 1: Mental capacity? And what is he physically, how is he physically doing? Robes, why is it that a couple of days before his execution, we're now having a conversation about his mental capacity? You had 40 years to figure this out.
00:04:19
Speaker 2: Yes. And it was interesting, the timing, because Ron DeSantis withdrew this death warrant, again, that he signed on September 11th, hours after the Florida Supreme Court denied Thompson's motion for a stay of execution. So basically, there were green lights. All of his appeals had been exhausted. And Governor DeSantis had signed his death warrant, so truly DeSantis was the only person who could make a decision to cancel his execution because the Florida Supreme Court had literally just cleared the way.
00:04:55
Speaker 1: They didn't see something that DeSantis eventually saw was being, I don't know, caused him to act, but Robes, I mean, he delayed... He could sign another death warrant today if he wants to, and that execution could be put on the books for 30 days from now. But this guy's mental capacity is one thing, but Rose, when physically, Rose, they say he's essentially in prison hospice right now. We're going to drag this guy into a death chamber. From prison, they are literally working every day to keep him alive. What do they call end-of-life care is what he's receiving.
00:05:36
Speaker 2: Hospice.
00:05:37
Speaker 1: What are we doing? Are we giving you end-of-life care so we can get you to another execution date?
00:05:51
Speaker 2: And look, all of it makes no sense. I understand it's all the way we operate and the protocols in place and the system we have. But to DeSantis' point and to anyone who is in favor of the death penalty, we should be carrying these death sentences out in a more appropriate time frame because Thompson has spent nearly five decades on death row. He's been resentenced to death three separate times. There has been a lifetime spent on death row by this man. The actual murder happened in 1976. That is outrageous. And look, her family, the victim's family, They were beating the drum back in 1988. I was reading articles from 1988 where they were complaining that Thompson had not yet been executed. And he had been close to execution dates multiple times. And things kept happening and appeals would go through and someone would put a stay on an execution. Then he'd be retried and he was resentenced. It just kept going.
00:07:07
Speaker 1: On and on.
00:07:07
Speaker 2: Think about that. In 1988, her family was complaining. And here we are in 2026.
00:07:14
Speaker 1: I was born in 1977. There's a man that committed a crime before I was born whose sentence still has not been carried out. There needs to be a better system. Yes, it does. For that family, how many of them died? Robes, I have lived my entire lifetime while this guy sat in one place and one family has waited for the justice they were promised by the government. And they're not getting it. It doesn't look like they're going to get it. It looks like this guy is near death. What's the question there? If somebody's near death, is justice letting him die or does justice have to be killing him?
00:07:56
Speaker 2: It's hard to say, but to his condition, this is according to Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, But again, DeSantis also got a very full and complete physical and neurological examination of this man. But this is how they describe him. Thompson is, quote, gravely ill, has dementia, requires complete assistance with basic activities such as bathing, using the toilet, and moving between his bed and wheelchair. He did not know where he was. He stated Bush was president. and at times did not even recognize that he had been sentenced to death. They say in accordance with state law, he underwent an evaluation next week, but they say officials never officially released the findings or explained Ron DeSantis' decision. And maybe they didn't want to because, yes, it looks pretty damn bad that we have allowed a man who committed this heinous crime to to get to this place physically and mentally before we ultimately decide to roll him, wheel him and lift him into an execution chamber. That looks terrible. And so, yes, that might explain why Ron DeSantis did not give the full explanation. In addition to what we just described, they also claim that Thompson suffers from heart failure, chronic kidney disease, severe liver disease, blood clots in both lungs, pneumonia, they claim severe malnutrition, broken ribs, and a stage four pressure wound on his tailbone because of his sedentary position.
00:09:40
Speaker 1: Okay. So we want to take him in there and kill him. Okay. Now, can we show mercy before you hear the crime? Do you have to hear his crimes? before you make a determination about what is mercy after hearing about him. Isn't that weird? Right now, a lot of people listening to this, this is ridiculous. Why in the God's name? That's inhumane. That's cruel and unusual. We hear all that. That should just stand on its own, no matter what his crime was. Shouldn't it? Shouldn't we be merciful, babe? We're supposed to show him something that he didn't show his victims. Man, what a moral dilemma we have in all these executions.
00:10:22
Speaker 2: And I would just say for Ron DeSantis, who has never done this before, for him to put a stay on this execution, to cancel the execution, speaks volumes about the condition this man is in. And even Ron DeSantis, who has made a full pledge to the families of victims just like his, just like the family members of Sally Ivester, This was just too much even for him to send him to his death given the condition he is in. But when we come back, we are going to tell you the crime that William Lee Thompson committed to land him on death row nearly five decades ago. Welcome back to Amy and TJ. We are talking about the execution that has been canceled for today. It was set to take place at 6 p.m. tonight in Florida, the execution of 74-year-old William Lee Thompson. We've certainly seen men his age be executed this year, and Ron DeSantis signing their death warrants. He signed his death warrant initially, but then canceled it after condition, his mental and physical condition were fully revealed. But let's go back. Let's go back and remember his victim because he was sentenced to death for his role in the 1976 murder of 23-year-old Sally Ivester. This took place on June 15th. And he, along with another man, his name was Rocco Suris, they He pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, rape, and first-degree murder on his second day of trial. That was his co-conspirator, Rocco. One day later, Thompson also then pleaded guilty to the charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and rape. And by the way, within days, a judge sentenced both of them to death by electrocution. He sentenced Thompson and Suris to the electric chair.
00:12:26
Speaker 1: This was 1976. This was the first year. The crime was the first year that the moratorium on executions was lifted in this country. He committed his crime at the wrong time, I guess.
00:12:38
Speaker 2: Isn't that interesting? And so his co-defendant, Rocco... Again, there are so many retrials in a lot of these death penalty cases. He had a retrial. He was later resentenced to life because he was convicted of a lesser charge because, interestingly, Thompson testified and said, yeah, it was mostly me. And so the jury gave him life in prison. He died behind bars in 1993. So Thompson admitted.
00:13:05
Speaker 2: For whatever reason, that he was the main person, but he and Rocco were in a motel room with Sally and her friend Barbara Savage. This was all about money. They demanded that the girls call their families from a payphone and get money. Savage, who survived, got the money she offered to pay them. Ivester only got $ 25, and she had promised them she could get hundreds of She could only get $ 25. They tortured her. Then they tried to get her to go back and call her mom again. Her mom testified that she told her, I'll be all right. I'll be all right, mom. But they were beating her with a chain belt, a nightstick. They sexually assaulted her with a chair leg. And this is all in front of her friend, Barbara.
00:13:46
Speaker 1: Yes, there was a living witness to this.
00:13:48
Speaker 2: Yes. And she testified at court. I mean, this is why they, she was going to testify at court. This is why they pleaded guilty. I don't know why they left her alive. They left her alive because she gave them the money. And I guess they thought she wouldn't tell. It's bizarre because this was her friend. But after they beat her with a chain belt, a nightstick, sexually assault her. They forced her to eat her own sanitary napkin, lick up spilled beer off the floor. They burned her with their lit cigarettes and lighters. I mean, this went on. And it was all to try and get her to get money for them. And ultimately, she died of multiple injuries and internal bleeding. So it just was a long, torturous death. This is horrific.
00:14:34
Speaker 1: So yeah, you hear that and you go, Yeah, kill him. Execute him. Wins the execution after this 1976 murder. Oh, in 2026?
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he admitted it. And there was an eyewitness.
00:14:46
Speaker 1: And we still can't execute. And we still can't implement the death penalty. And that's fine. But where's the family in this? 50 years? A family's been waiting 50 years.
00:14:59
Speaker 2: I have chills from head to toe when I read, again, I mentioned 1988, October 30th, 1988. her family gave an interview to the media. 1988, how many years ago was that? They said they were wondering why the proceedings were still ongoing, even after so many years since the crime, even after he admitted his guilt, even after everyone involved said, yep, He did all of these horrible, awful things to their daughter. And her own mother said he should have died a long time ago for killing her daughter in 1988. And yes, he's outlived much of her family. He's outlived the judge that sentenced him to death. He was supposed to go to the electric chair back in 1976. But now, yes, it's just too awful for us to have to lift a man who can't use the restroom on his own, who can't eat on his own, who thinks... George W. Bush as president, who doesn't even remember committing this crime?
00:15:56
Speaker 1: Should that be taken into consideration? The answer must be yes. We just have to be better than he was to that woman in 1976. We have to be better. And with everything they describe about this man, there's no argument. You can't even argue. You want to give him the death penalty?
00:16:11
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:16:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, he qualifies. And execute him when he's 34.
00:16:15
Speaker 2: Exactly.
00:16:16
Speaker 1: When he's 44, when he's 50, when he's whatever. Robes, he is in hospice.
00:16:20
Speaker 2: He was 24 when he committed this crime.
00:16:23
Speaker 1: He's in hospice, baby. He's in hospice. He can't walk from his holding cell to the death chamber. He cannot do it. He cannot get up and get onto the gurney. Robes, and then I see he's 6'3, and one of the organizations said he weighs possibly less than 100 pounds. Just malnourished.
00:16:42
Speaker 2: He's malnourished.
00:16:43
Speaker 1: This is a mess of a guy who is literally dying. He is absolutely withering away. And we're watching it. But we want to beat him to the pearly gates. Mother nature. I shouldn't say pearly gates.
00:16:56
Speaker 2: Right. Yeah, I don't think many people think he's going there, but you never know.
00:16:59
Speaker 1: But we want to beat him to... What is the... Because this is not a commutation. This is just a delay. Correct. He pulled it. So essentially, he's gone right back to where he was before the death warrant was signed. Just death row, just living.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: The next governor could make a different decision.
00:17:13
Speaker 1: With no death date right now. But this guy still has time. DeSantis could still sign this sucker and get this execution. You know what? He could even sign it, can he not? As late as he wants as governor and plan it for when he's not governor anymore. He could do that.
00:17:27
Speaker 2: He possibly can. I guess 30 days is when they sign until when you actually have to follow through. So He could sign the order as he is piecing out as governor of Florida.
00:17:38
Speaker 1: None of these are the same. No. No two executions, babe, is always a different question that we haven't gotten before in these cases. This is a sick, ill, sounds like constant pain this man is in. And Robes, I'm talking about him like he's a victim. Yes, I do. I don't want anybody to suffer as a human being. I don't want that.
00:18:04
Speaker 2: I don't. We shouldn't want it for him any more than we hate it for his victim because both are not okay. We should never be rooting for the suffering of another human being, period.
00:18:16
Speaker 1: That's what he's doing, and that's what an execution would be. I don't know any other way, babe. We've all, unfortunately, known somebody or connected to somebody or know somebody who's in hospice. Think about execute. You're taking a needle in his arm and executing. Yeah, it's the sentence. It's justice. It's our system. But Jesus Christ. Nobody should feel good about today.
00:18:43
Speaker 2: No, not at all. Only that it's at least been delayed. But look, I don't even know that he understands from what they're describing that he even understands that he was going to be executed and now he's been given a pause. I don't even think he comprehends that according to the way medical professionals are describing his cognitive ability. So he might not even realize that the state of Florida has shown him mercy at least for today. And with that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey there, folks. It is Tuesday, October 13th, and Ron DeSantis, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has signed 20 death warrants this year, but only 19 of those men are expected to be actually executed. Because Ron DeSantis has done something that Ron DeSantis just does not do. He has pulled a death warrant. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ on a day on this Tuesday Robes that they were supposed to be to execute. executions in Florida. One got canceled.
00:00:31
Speaker 2: That's right. That's why there is a 12 noon execution because yes, there was supposed to be a 6 p.m. execution today as well. And that was supposed to be 74-year-old William Lee Thompson finally, and I say finally, heading to the death chamber. And this all took place within days of his planned execution. And as you pointed out, this does not happen. This is the first time Governor DeSantis has withdrawn a death warrant he has signed in his nearly eight years in office.
00:01:05
Speaker 1: And you know what, Robes and I, this does bear some explanation because if some folks heard or saw the headlines that Ron DeSantis has stopped an execution in Florida... They might think, wait a minute, I wonder if this has to do with what happened in Tennessee. The answer is no.
00:01:23
Speaker 2: Yes, because this decision came within a week of Krista Pike's botched execution, actually within days. of her botched execution. So, look, people have tried to draw that conclusion, but it doesn't appear to be the case. However, I do think it's important to say DeSantis did not officially give a reason for the withdrawal. We understand what led up to his making this decision, but he did not weigh in on the why of all of this.
00:01:52
Speaker 1: The why seems pretty clear. This has been going back and forth, and we hear this is.
00:01:59
Speaker 1: You know what? The crime is horrible. The execution is horrible. What he did was horrible. What we are doing is horrible. Robes, it's just, this is on the, look, you don't go to death row just for shooting and killing somebody. There's usually some aggravating factors, Robes, having to do with a lot of these. These factors are as aggravating as it's going to get for you to hear, and we should probably just give you a heads up and a warning. Some of this stuff is really difficult to take.
00:02:27
Speaker 2: I actually don't think that we should even give all the details. That's how bad they are. I mentioned in the episode before this, because we went over who is actually being executed in Florida today, but when we were talking about William Lee Thompson and the fact that his, well, he's, I guess, technically still on death row. His execution for today was canceled. That doesn't mean it couldn't It couldn't happen at a later date.
00:02:57
Speaker 1: He's got time.
00:02:57
Speaker 2: He does have time. But while this man was, was in court and a jury was hearing his crime, one of the jurors fainted in open court upon hearing the details of what he was convicted of doing to a 23 year old woman. Her name was Sally Ivester, and we'll get into that in just a bit, but Look, in terms of the execution, we know that he signed a letter on October 8th, that's five days exactly before his scheduled election, execution, excuse me, and DeSantis wrote, Dear Warden Polk, I hereby withdraw the death warrant, which I previously signed on September 11th, 2026, to carry out the sentence for William Lee Thompson. Sincerely, Ron DeSantis. So it's interesting that less than a week after issuing this death warrant, he then created a three-member panel of psychiatrists to evaluate whether or not Thompson was legally sane or not. And that was the big question. What was his mental capacity?
00:04:05
Speaker 1: Mental capacity? And what is he physically, how is he physically doing? Robes, why is it that a couple of days before his execution, we're now having a conversation about his mental capacity? You had 40 years to figure this out.
00:04:19
Speaker 2: Yes. And it was interesting, the timing, because Ron DeSantis withdrew this death warrant, again, that he signed on September 11th, hours after the Florida Supreme Court denied Thompson's motion for a stay of execution. So basically, there were green lights. All of his appeals had been exhausted. And Governor DeSantis had signed his death warrant, so truly DeSantis was the only person who could make a decision to cancel his execution because the Florida Supreme Court had literally just cleared the way.
00:04:55
Speaker 1: They didn't see something that DeSantis eventually saw was being, I don't know, caused him to act, but Robes, I mean, he delayed... He could sign another death warrant today if he wants to, and that execution could be put on the books for 30 days from now. But this guy's mental capacity is one thing, but Rose, when physically, Rose, they say he's essentially in prison hospice right now. We're going to drag this guy into a death chamber. From prison, they are literally working every day to keep him alive. What do they call end-of-life care is what he's receiving.
00:05:36
Speaker 2: Hospice.
00:05:37
Speaker 1: What are we doing? Are we giving you end-of-life care so we can get you to another execution date?
00:05:51
Speaker 2: And look, all of it makes no sense. I understand it's all the way we operate and the protocols in place and the system we have. But to DeSantis' point and to anyone who is in favor of the death penalty, we should be carrying these death sentences out in a more appropriate time frame because Thompson has spent nearly five decades on death row. He's been resentenced to death three separate times. There has been a lifetime spent on death row by this man. The actual murder happened in 1976. That is outrageous. And look, her family, the victim's family, They were beating the drum back in 1988. I was reading articles from 1988 where they were complaining that Thompson had not yet been executed. And he had been close to execution dates multiple times. And things kept happening and appeals would go through and someone would put a stay on an execution. Then he'd be retried and he was resentenced. It just kept going.
00:07:07
Speaker 1: On and on.
00:07:07
Speaker 2: Think about that. In 1988, her family was complaining. And here we are in 2026.
00:07:14
Speaker 1: I was born in 1977. There's a man that committed a crime before I was born whose sentence still has not been carried out. There needs to be a better system. Yes, it does. For that family, how many of them died? Robes, I have lived my entire lifetime while this guy sat in one place and one family has waited for the justice they were promised by the government. And they're not getting it. It doesn't look like they're going to get it. It looks like this guy is near death. What's the question there? If somebody's near death, is justice letting him die or does justice have to be killing him?
00:07:56
Speaker 2: It's hard to say, but to his condition, this is according to Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, But again, DeSantis also got a very full and complete physical and neurological examination of this man. But this is how they describe him. Thompson is, quote, gravely ill, has dementia, requires complete assistance with basic activities such as bathing, using the toilet, and moving between his bed and wheelchair. He did not know where he was. He stated Bush was president. and at times did not even recognize that he had been sentenced to death. They say in accordance with state law, he underwent an evaluation next week, but they say officials never officially released the findings or explained Ron DeSantis' decision. And maybe they didn't want to because, yes, it looks pretty damn bad that we have allowed a man who committed this heinous crime to to get to this place physically and mentally before we ultimately decide to roll him, wheel him and lift him into an execution chamber. That looks terrible. And so, yes, that might explain why Ron DeSantis did not give the full explanation. In addition to what we just described, they also claim that Thompson suffers from heart failure, chronic kidney disease, severe liver disease, blood clots in both lungs, pneumonia, they claim severe malnutrition, broken ribs, and a stage four pressure wound on his tailbone because of his sedentary position.
00:09:40
Speaker 1: Okay. So we want to take him in there and kill him. Okay. Now, can we show mercy before you hear the crime? Do you have to hear his crimes? before you make a determination about what is mercy after hearing about him. Isn't that weird? Right now, a lot of people listening to this, this is ridiculous. Why in the God's name? That's inhumane. That's cruel and unusual. We hear all that. That should just stand on its own, no matter what his crime was. Shouldn't it? Shouldn't we be merciful, babe? We're supposed to show him something that he didn't show his victims. Man, what a moral dilemma we have in all these executions.
00:10:22
Speaker 2: And I would just say for Ron DeSantis, who has never done this before, for him to put a stay on this execution, to cancel the execution, speaks volumes about the condition this man is in. And even Ron DeSantis, who has made a full pledge to the families of victims just like his, just like the family members of Sally Ivester, This was just too much even for him to send him to his death given the condition he is in. But when we come back, we are going to tell you the crime that William Lee Thompson committed to land him on death row nearly five decades ago. Welcome back to Amy and TJ. We are talking about the execution that has been canceled for today. It was set to take place at 6 p.m. tonight in Florida, the execution of 74-year-old William Lee Thompson. We've certainly seen men his age be executed this year, and Ron DeSantis signing their death warrants. He signed his death warrant initially, but then canceled it after condition, his mental and physical condition were fully revealed. But let's go back. Let's go back and remember his victim because he was sentenced to death for his role in the 1976 murder of 23-year-old Sally Ivester. This took place on June 15th. And he, along with another man, his name was Rocco Suris, they He pleaded guilty to charges of kidnapping, rape, and first-degree murder on his second day of trial. That was his co-conspirator, Rocco. One day later, Thompson also then pleaded guilty to the charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and rape. And by the way, within days, a judge sentenced both of them to death by electrocution. He sentenced Thompson and Suris to the electric chair.
00:12:26
Speaker 1: This was 1976. This was the first year. The crime was the first year that the moratorium on executions was lifted in this country. He committed his crime at the wrong time, I guess.
00:12:38
Speaker 2: Isn't that interesting? And so his co-defendant, Rocco... Again, there are so many retrials in a lot of these death penalty cases. He had a retrial. He was later resentenced to life because he was convicted of a lesser charge because, interestingly, Thompson testified and said, yeah, it was mostly me. And so the jury gave him life in prison. He died behind bars in 1993. So Thompson admitted.
00:13:05
Speaker 2: For whatever reason, that he was the main person, but he and Rocco were in a motel room with Sally and her friend Barbara Savage. This was all about money. They demanded that the girls call their families from a payphone and get money. Savage, who survived, got the money she offered to pay them. Ivester only got $ 25, and she had promised them she could get hundreds of She could only get $ 25. They tortured her. Then they tried to get her to go back and call her mom again. Her mom testified that she told her, I'll be all right. I'll be all right, mom. But they were beating her with a chain belt, a nightstick. They sexually assaulted her with a chair leg. And this is all in front of her friend, Barbara.
00:13:46
Speaker 1: Yes, there was a living witness to this.
00:13:48
Speaker 2: Yes. And she testified at court. I mean, this is why they, she was going to testify at court. This is why they pleaded guilty. I don't know why they left her alive. They left her alive because she gave them the money. And I guess they thought she wouldn't tell. It's bizarre because this was her friend. But after they beat her with a chain belt, a nightstick, sexually assault her. They forced her to eat her own sanitary napkin, lick up spilled beer off the floor. They burned her with their lit cigarettes and lighters. I mean, this went on. And it was all to try and get her to get money for them. And ultimately, she died of multiple injuries and internal bleeding. So it just was a long, torturous death. This is horrific.
00:14:34
Speaker 1: So yeah, you hear that and you go, Yeah, kill him. Execute him. Wins the execution after this 1976 murder. Oh, in 2026?
00:14:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, and he admitted it. And there was an eyewitness.
00:14:46
Speaker 1: And we still can't execute. And we still can't implement the death penalty. And that's fine. But where's the family in this? 50 years? A family's been waiting 50 years.
00:14:59
Speaker 2: I have chills from head to toe when I read, again, I mentioned 1988, October 30th, 1988. her family gave an interview to the media. 1988, how many years ago was that? They said they were wondering why the proceedings were still ongoing, even after so many years since the crime, even after he admitted his guilt, even after everyone involved said, yep, He did all of these horrible, awful things to their daughter. And her own mother said he should have died a long time ago for killing her daughter in 1988. And yes, he's outlived much of her family. He's outlived the judge that sentenced him to death. He was supposed to go to the electric chair back in 1976. But now, yes, it's just too awful for us to have to lift a man who can't use the restroom on his own, who can't eat on his own, who thinks... George W. Bush as president, who doesn't even remember committing this crime?
00:15:56
Speaker 1: Should that be taken into consideration? The answer must be yes. We just have to be better than he was to that woman in 1976. We have to be better. And with everything they describe about this man, there's no argument. You can't even argue. You want to give him the death penalty?
00:16:11
Speaker 2: Okay.
00:16:11
Speaker 1: Yeah, he qualifies. And execute him when he's 34.
00:16:15
Speaker 2: Exactly.
00:16:16
Speaker 1: When he's 44, when he's 50, when he's whatever. Robes, he is in hospice.
00:16:20
Speaker 2: He was 24 when he committed this crime.
00:16:23
Speaker 1: He's in hospice, baby. He's in hospice. He can't walk from his holding cell to the death chamber. He cannot do it. He cannot get up and get onto the gurney. Robes, and then I see he's 6'3, and one of the organizations said he weighs possibly less than 100 pounds. Just malnourished.
00:16:42
Speaker 2: He's malnourished.
00:16:43
Speaker 1: This is a mess of a guy who is literally dying. He is absolutely withering away. And we're watching it. But we want to beat him to the pearly gates. Mother nature. I shouldn't say pearly gates.
00:16:56
Speaker 2: Right. Yeah, I don't think many people think he's going there, but you never know.
00:16:59
Speaker 1: But we want to beat him to... What is the... Because this is not a commutation. This is just a delay. Correct. He pulled it. So essentially, he's gone right back to where he was before the death warrant was signed. Just death row, just living.
00:17:11
Speaker 2: The next governor could make a different decision.
00:17:13
Speaker 1: With no death date right now. But this guy still has time. DeSantis could still sign this sucker and get this execution. You know what? He could even sign it, can he not? As late as he wants as governor and plan it for when he's not governor anymore. He could do that.
00:17:27
Speaker 2: He possibly can. I guess 30 days is when they sign until when you actually have to follow through. So He could sign the order as he is piecing out as governor of Florida.
00:17:38
Speaker 1: None of these are the same. No. No two executions, babe, is always a different question that we haven't gotten before in these cases. This is a sick, ill, sounds like constant pain this man is in. And Robes, I'm talking about him like he's a victim. Yes, I do. I don't want anybody to suffer as a human being. I don't want that.
00:18:04
Speaker 2: I don't. We shouldn't want it for him any more than we hate it for his victim because both are not okay. We should never be rooting for the suffering of another human being, period.
00:18:16
Speaker 1: That's what he's doing, and that's what an execution would be. I don't know any other way, babe. We've all, unfortunately, known somebody or connected to somebody or know somebody who's in hospice. Think about execute. You're taking a needle in his arm and executing. Yeah, it's the sentence. It's justice. It's our system. But Jesus Christ. Nobody should feel good about today.
00:18:43
Speaker 2: No, not at all. Only that it's at least been delayed. But look, I don't even know that he understands from what they're describing that he even understands that he was going to be executed and now he's been given a pause. I don't even think he comprehends that according to the way medical professionals are describing his cognitive ability. So he might not even realize that the state of Florida has shown him mercy at least for today. And with that, everyone, we always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon.