Supreme Court refuses to reinstate death penalty for man convicted of murder in Orange County
Moodyโs office contended that the January Supreme Court decision backing away from the 2016 ruling should lead to reinstating the original death sentences instead of holding new sentencing hearings. But the Supreme Court on Wednesday said orders granting resentencing could not be undone. The Florida Supreme Court in October 2016, in the Hurst v. State decision, interpreted and applied the U.S. Supreme Court ruling. The state court required unanimous jury recommendations before death sentences could be imposed and dealt with a critical issue of jurors finding what are known as โaggravating factorsโ that can justify death sentences. The state Supreme Court subsequently said its decision in Hurst v. State should be applied retroactively to cases going back to 2002.
Florida Supreme Court to hear arguments in Bessman Okafor case
ORLANDO, Fla. The state Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments Tuesday surrounding the case against convicted killer Bessman Okafor. The state of Florida is seeking to have the death penalty reinstated against Okafor, who was sentenced to death row in 2015 for the murder of Alex Zaldivar. Okafors case was sent back for re-sentencing after a change in the law required a unanimous jury decision. However, the state Supreme Court reversed its own ruling and said an unanimous decision was not necessary for someone to be sentenced to death. Prosecutors asked a lower court earlier this year to reinstate Okafors death sentence but was denied.