Florida Finality: Gore Executed

The stop-and-go execution of Marshall Lee Gore went forward in Florida yesterday.  He died after a lethal injection at the Florida State Prison in Starke.

Gore, sentenced to death for the 1988 murder of an exotic dancer, had four execution dates this year.  The first two were delayed by appeals, the third — and you can’t make this stuff up! — because it conflicted with a campaign fund-raiser by the state’s attorney general.

Pam Bondi, who is running for re-election as the state’s top law officer, asked Gov. Rick Scott to postpone a scheduled Sept. 10th execution because she had set her campaign kickoff party for the same date.  Questioned later by reporters, Scott said, “When another Cabinet officer asks for something, we try to work with them.”

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Gore’s petition for a writ of certiorari.  On Tuesday, Gore’s execution went forward on schedule.  He was pronounced dead at 6:12 pm.