TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court made a major decision Thursday about death sentences.
The court ruled that juries do not have to vote unanimously for a death sentence to be imposed. The ruling said the court “got it wrong” in 2016 when it required unanimous jury recommendations for death sentences.
The ruling came from a Polk County case where a death sentence was tossed out. Mark Anthony Poole was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder, attempted murder, armed burglary and armed robbery.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, a jury recommended Poole be sentenced to death in 2011 by a vote of 11-1. However, the death sentence was vacated because of the Supreme Court’s 2016 ruling that a unanimous jury was needed to impose the death penalty.
You can read more about the Florida Supreme Court's decision here.
What other people are reading right now:
- Detectives: Woman charged with human trafficking after forcing teen to take drugs, have sex for money
- New Florida State Fair foods: Peanut butter ramen burger, jalapeno ice cream, Oreo funnel cake sandwich
- President Trump aims to remove waterway protections, aiding developers
- Sasquatch? Washington DOT tweets photos of possible sighting
- Super Nintendo World is officially coming to Universal Orlando's new theme park
- Doomsday Clock moves closer than ever before to midnight
- Attention viewers: WTSP is undergoing planned work on our tower
