Florida’s Supreme Court Decision in State v. Poole at Odds with Most States that Still Allow the Death Penalty
Statement of Shalini Goel Agarwal, Managing Attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center:
“Today Florida’s Supreme Court retreated on the critical requirement that only a unanimous jury can impose the death penalty, making Florida an outlier inconsistent with the federal death penalty and every other state but one. Given the abundant evidence of wrongful convictions and racial disparities in death sentences, requiring a unanimous jury is fundamental to ensure fairness when exacting the ultimate penalty. There is no do-over after an execution. That is why unanimity must be the rule."
