TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) led the filing of an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief with the Florida Supreme Court in support of a William Thomas “Tommy” Zeigler’s request that the Court vacate his convictions and grant him a new trial. Mr. Zeigler has spent nearly 50 years on Florida’s death row and has consistently maintained his innocence.
The brief was authored by pro bono counsel Melanie Verdecia, Esq., of Quarles & Brady LLP. FADP was joined by 23 other amici representing several of Florida’s 30 death row exonerees, state and national advocacy organizations, and religious groups.
The brief is in support of Mr. Zeigler’s request to vacate his convictions and grant him a new trial based on newly tested DNA evidence that undermines critical aspects of the State’s theory of the case. The filing also highlights that even though Mr. Zeigler’s jury voted unanimously for life, the judge overrode that recommendation and sentenced him to death, as was allowed by Florida law at the time.
Florida has exonerated 30 people from death row — more than any other state — and 92% of the state’s death-row exoneration cases in which the jury vote is known involved either a nonunanimous recommendation for death or a judicial override of a jury’s recommendation for life.
FADP and its fellow amici urge the Florida Supreme Court to evaluate the new DNA evidence alongside the full record and grant Mr. Zeigler a new trial.
Florida Supreme Court: SC2026-0617
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