The Florida Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the execution of Jerry William Correll, who was convicted of murdering his ex-wife, daughter, and two others in 1985. The decision, issued nine days before his scheduled execution, halts proceedings until the U.S. Supreme Court determines the effectiveness of a sedative used in lethal injections.
The court's 5-2 ruling cited concerns over midazolam, the first drug in Florida's three-drug lethal injection protocol. The state high court noted that Florida's procedures are 'virtually identical' to Oklahoma's, where the U.S. Supreme Court recently paused executions to examine whether midazolam prevents inmates from suffering severe pain.
Correll, 59, was convicted of stabbing his former mother-in-law Mary Lou Hines, ex-wife Susan Correll, sister-in-law Marybeth Jones, and his five-year-old daughter in June 1985. Prosecutors said bloody fingerprints and palm prints linked him to the crime scene. The three women were each stabbed at least 14 times, and the girl at least 10.
Opponents argue that midazolam, a sedative, does not reliably render inmates unconscious before the second and third drugs paralyze and stop their hearts. Florida has used midazolam in 11 executions without reported problems, but problematic executions in Arizona, Ohio, and Oklahoma have raised concerns.
In a dissenting opinion, Justices Ricky Polston and Charles Canady argued that Florida's circumstances differ from Oklahoma's and that the state court had already deemed midazolam constitutional. They urged adherence to existing precedent rather than speculation about future U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
