[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----FLORIDA

[Rick Halperin]

August 24




FLORIDA----execution

Jacksonville man executed for two murders in 1987


For the f1st time since the Supreme Court upended Florida’s death penalty 
sentencing law, a man has been executed at Florida State Prison.

Mark Asay was convicted of the 1987 racially motivated murder of two men, one 
of who was black and the other white or Hispanic. The Florida Supreme Court 
recently adjusted their record on the case to update the races of the victims, 
since initially they had classified both victims as black men.

About 2 hours ahead of the 6PM execution, the Supreme Court denied a stay of 
execution for Asay.

This marked the 1st time a certain anesthetic- etomidate- was used to help 
carry out an execution in the US. It was part of a three drug injection, that 
ultimately resulted in Asay’s death at 6:22 PM. Asay’s attorneys had based one 
of their appeals around questions about the drug and why the state is rolling 
it out now, but that was unsuccessful.

The Florida Department of Corrections says there were no complications or 
indications of pain during the execution.

Asay woke up around 4:30 AM “in good spirits”, according to the FDOC. His last 
meal was fried pork chops, fried ham, french fries, vanilla swirl ice cream, 
and a can of Coke. The FDOC says Asay spent about two hours with his sister, 
sister-in-law, and brother-in-law in the morning, and some time with his 
spiritual adviser in the afternoon.

Bridgette Matter with our partner Action News Jax was among those in the 
viewing room as Asay was executed. She reports it took 11 minutes for the 
execution to be carried out.

Asay becomes the 1st condemned inmate to be put to death in Florida since
January 2016, and the 93rd overall since the state resumed capital punishment 
in 1979.

Asay becomes the 17th condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA 
and the 1459th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977. 
Only Texas (543), Virginia (113), and Oklahoma (112) have carried out more 
executions than Florida.

(sources: WOKV news & Rick Halperin)