U.S. military veteran Dennis Sochor is facing execution on July 14 for the 1981 murder of Patricia Gifford. He was sentenced in Broward County in 1989 after his jury recommended death by a vote of 10–2.
- Serious Questions Remain About the State’s Case
Dennis Sochor’s conviction depended heavily on the testimony of his brother, Gary. In closing at trial, counsel argued: “The only two people who really knew anything about this case [are] Gary Sochor and Dennis Sochor.” The jury was left to choose between two conflicting accounts — one brother who, according to the defense, lied to save himself, and another who lied to protect his brother.
In 2009, Dennis Sochor filed a postconviction motion alleging that prosecutors withheld favorable evidence in violation of Brady v. Maryland. The motion argued that the State failed to disclose that Gary Sochor received immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony, a fact allegedly communicated to Gary only one day before he took the witness stand.
In 2016, Mr. Sochor filed another postconviction motion based on newly discovered evidence and additional allegations that the State withheld exculpatory information. Among other claims, the motion alleged that prosecutors failed to disclose evidence that Gary had told a friend he was involved in the murder, despite the State’s longstanding position that Gary was not a participant in the crime.
Newly disclosed records suggest investigators continue to believe Gary may possess information about the circumstances of Patricia Gifford’s disappearance and the location of evidence connected to the case. A detective recently wrote that he had spent years attempting to obtain information from Gary.
- A 74-year-old man and Decades on Death Row
Dennis Sochor is now 74-years-old and has lived decades beyond the young man who entered death row. Whatever one believes about his case, Dennis has already spent the overwhelming majority of his adult life incarcerated. There is no purpose in carrying his execution. The purposes cited to justify the death penalty — deterrence, public safety, and accountability — have long since been served. He has been removed from society for nearly four decades and poses no threat to the public.
- Florida’s Execution Method Likely Causes Extreme Suffering
Dennis’ attorneys argue that Florida’s current lethal injection protocol creates a substantial risk of severe and unnecessary suffering. Autopsies from numerous recent Florida executions show evidence of flash pulmonary edema — a rapid accumulation of fluid in the lungs that can produce intense air hunger, panic, and the sensation of drowning before death.