Zoom press conference Wednesday will address Thompson’s medical condition, access to care, and pending legal proceedings
MIAMI, Fla. — On Wednesday, September 30, medical professionals will release a letter opposing the scheduled execution of William Lee Thompson, a gravely ill man who is scheduled for execution in Florida on October 13. Thompson, who has been diagnosed with dementia, has required extensive hospital care in recent months for sepsis, systolic heart failure, severe malnutrition, and multiple decubitus ulcers. He was released from his most recent hospitalization less than 24 hours before his death warrant was unexpectedly signed.
More than 100 healthcare providers have signed the letter. They write:
“We do not share a single position on the death penalty. Some of us support capital punishment, while others oppose it. Nor do we ask you to reconsider Mr. Thompson’s conviction. We are united by a foundational principle of medicine: Every human being, regardless of circumstance, is entitled to humane treatment, appropriate medical care, and dignity at the end of life.”
The press conference will also provide reporters with expert context on the legal proceedings concerning his care and competency to be executed. Attorneys for Thompson have filed an emergency motion in federal court alleging that he has not been receiving appropriate medical care while awaiting execution in a “death watch” cell at Florida State Prison and demanding his transfer to a facility that can care for his complicated medical conditions. Separately, his longtime attorneys have alerted the governor that they believe his dementia has rendered him unable to comprehend the reason for – and reality of – his pending execution. A mandatory competency evaluation by a panel of psychiatrists selected by the governor is scheduled for Thursday, October 1, with their report due on Friday. A hearing on his competency to proceed is likely the following week.
What: Zoom press conference releasing the medical professionals’ letter and providing context on Thompson’s medical condition and legal proceedings
Who: Joseph Thornton, MD, a physician who previously oversaw medical treatment for people on Florida’s death row; Henry Duncan, RN, a nurse leader with 20+ years of acute and homecare experience; Robin Maher, Esq., Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, who will provide independent context on the legal issues in Thompson’s case
When: Wednesday, September 30, 2026; 10am eastern time
Where: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/J7_cFmAgQQq4WP6fgmcSPw
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