According to the Miami Herald, Florida Governor Rick Scott is looking to speed up the manner in which Florida executes its condemned prisoners.
In the past few weeks, Governor Scott has signed three death warrants. While all three of these condemned inmates have been on death row for more than 20 years, legal experts believe that multiple death warrants in a short period of time is unusual.
However, in the meantime, there is legislation pending before Florida lawmakers called the "Timely Justice Act" that would speed up the death penalty appeals process in the State of Florida. Apparently, the bill has been approved by both houses and is awaiting Governor Scott's signature before becoming law.
Governor Scott is up for re-election next year. Legal experts wonder if his sudden urgency in signing these death warrants is in a bid to appear "tough on crime" to future voters.
Eric Matheny is a Miami criminal lawyer and Broward criminal lawyer representing clients charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses in Miami-Dade County and Broward County.