‘Unconstitutional’: Florida’s top court strikes down death penalty legislation

‘The fates of 385 inmates sitting on death row in Florida, as well as those about to go on trial for murder, is in limbo – Florida’s top court declared the state’s death penalty statute unconstitutional.
By a 5-2 vote the Florida Supreme Court struck down a newly enacted state law allowing a defendant to be sentenced to death as along as 10 out of 12 jurors recommended it.
“The Act … is unconstitutional because it requires that only ten jurors recommend death as opposed to the constitutionally required unanimous, twelve-member jury,” the court wrote on Friday striking down the law for pending prosecutions in the state, according to Orlando Sentinel. “Accordingly, it cannot be applied to pending prosecutions.”‘
Read more: ‘Unconstitutional’: Florida’s top court strikes down death penalty legislation