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Florida Attorney General: I Erred In Asking Execution To Be Moved For Party

pambondi.com

Death row inmate Marshall Lee Gore’s execution has been moved for the third time. The first two times, officials rescheduled Gore’s execution because Gore’s lawyers claimed he wasn’t sane enough for the death penalty. This time, Governor Rick Scott has rescheduled Gore’s execution because of a party.

After the Florida Supreme Court ruled Marshall Lee Gore is sane enough under the U.S. Constitution’s 8th Amendment to face capital punishment, Governor Rick Scott set Gore’s new execution date for Tuesday.  But Attorney General Pam Bondi’s “Hometown Kick Off Campaign” – the official start to her re-election bid -- had already been scheduled for that date. So, Scott says, at Bondi’s request, he moved the execution.

“I mean we try to, you know, comply with, when another cabinet member asks for something we try to work with them,” Bondi said.

Scott says he didn’t know at the time why Bondi had asked for the postponement. A spokeswoman for Bondi’s office has said the Attorney General wanted to be available in person to carry out the duties associated with her office during an execution, but in a statement, Bondi says she shouldn’t have asked for the date of the execution to be moved. The new date for Gore’s execution is October 1.

Follow Regan McCarthy on twitter @Regan_McCarthy

Follow @Regan_McCarthy

Regan McCarthy covers healthcare and government in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the Assistant News Director for WFSU Public Media.

Phone: (850) 645-6090 | rmccarthy@fsu.edu

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