Tomorrow at 6 p.m., Florida is scheduled to execute Mark Geralds, sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of Tressa Pettibone. Mark will be the 18th person executed by the state of Florida in 2025, and the second “volunteer.”
So-called “volunteers” are individuals who waive some of all of their final appeals in hopes to speed up their own execution. Their reasons vary, with some citing immense guilt, hopelessness, or a belief that their life has no value, but the pattern is striking. Analysis by our colleagues at the Death Penalty Information Center have found that roughly 10% of all people executed involve volunteers, a rate that is nearly 10x the civilian suicide rate. For nearly 50 years, it has been known that most volunteers live with serious mental illness or substance use disorders, with some studies placing this number around 87%.
Mark’s case sits in this reality. When he waived his remaining appeals, he shut the door on any judicial review of the grave problems that still shadow his conviction. The murder of Tressa Pettibone was tragic, and her family undoubtedly still feels its impacts and are seeking closure. Still, Mark’s execution will not mean the system worked.
If Mark is killed tomorrow, no court will ever review the unidentified fingerprints, blood, and hair found at the crime scene. No court will hear about FDLE’s notes acknowledging they failed to question other potential suspects. The only thing an execution will prove is that Mark’s despair finally aligned with the State’s desire to close the book.
Mark’s waiver does not relieve the State of its constitutional duties. And it does not relieve us of ours.
Moments like this are when collective action matters most. Even when the Governor refuses to act, public pressure stops these cases from disappearing into silence. That’s why it’s crucial you act now.
Tomorrow morning, we will deliver petition signatures to the Governor and the Board of Executive Clemency calling on them to halt Mark’s execution. We’re just under 2,000 signatures — help us pass that threshold by morning.
Sign and share the petition for Mark Geralds.
Then, send your own message to Governor DeSantis urging him to use his exclusive and unilateral authority to issue a stay. Our goal is at least 500 before tomorrow’s delivery. Send yours now.
If you’ve already signed or written once, thank you! You can still help by forwarding these links to a friend, posting them on social media, or asking your family, congregation, or community group to act. In a system that counts on our silence, repetition is power.
As we have done for every execution in this brutal year, we will gather for a vigil and peaceful protest tomorrow at 5 p.m. across from Florida State Prison. You can join us there, online, or at a local vigil in your community. A list of statewide vigils is available on our website.
Thank you for staying with us during a year defined by relentless speed and cruelty. Your persistence is felt in every courtroom, every petition delivery, and every vigil.
History will remember that Florida chose death again and again this year. Let it also remember that we chose witness, courage, and mercy, and that we refused to look away.
Onward,
The FADP Team
P.S. Frank Walls is scheduled for execution on December 18 despite clear evidence of his intellectual disability. We have a petition and letter-writing action for Frank as well. Please take a moment to add your name and send a message today.