Last night the DeSantis administration killed its 31st person. Under a devastatingly beautiful sunset, Billy Kearse was executed for a panicked and impulsive split-second decision he made as a scared young Black teenager 35 years ago while driving home with a pizza for dinner. A decision reached only after he was pulled over on a dark side-street by a white cop who had a history of documented run-ins with members of the community for racial profiling and aggressive behavior.
As a capital defense lawyer for 20 years now, I am always struck by how the men we put to death handle it infinitely better than their loved ones or than the legal team defending them. Billy’s investigator told me at the vigil last night that he had known Billy for decades, and yet he learned more from him in his last 30 days of life. Billy’s time on death watch cemented the legacy of the man he became in prison — a man of deep remorse, steady faith, and an enduring commitment to love even those who wished him harm.
I’m trying Billy, I really am. But I’m filled with unbridled rage today. Rage at a system that forced an abused and traumatized 8-year-old child to beg officers to take him to jail so he can have some food and a safe place to sleep. Rage at society that pretends that at 18 years old a light switch flips and a person turns into a fully functioning adult capable of making adult choices and suffering adult consequences. Rage at a criminal legal system that canonizes cops and ignores undisputed evidence of their racial bias, aggressive and unchecked behavior, and their “draw-your-weapon-first and ask questions later” mentality.
I’m especially angry at the State’s ongoing and purposeful secrecy around its lethal injection protocol, and its pathetic post-execution explanation of why it took 24 minutes to kill Billy last night — longer than any execution in Gov. DeSantis’ tenure. At the post-execution press conference, a DOC official claimed, “There’s no science to the timeframe, it varies inmate to inmate.”
This is a bald faced lie. There is science. There are experts. There are doctors who have filed declarations and affidavits saying that the State of Florida is torturing people. We are proud to stand with the lawyers who continue to fight to remove this cloak of secrecy, demand transparency, and force the “Sunshine” State of Florida to for once live up to its name.
As I was furiously typing this email (which has been blessedly toned down by our steady and wise Executive Director), a longtime FADP supporter forwarded us an email about the importance of choosing grace over violence.
Ok, Billy, I hear you.
And yet, I will offer you all this reminder. There’s nothing wrong with anger. Anger points to injustice. And there was plenty of injustice around Billy’s death sentence and his execution last night.
Anger also keeps us focused and motivated, and we need that more than ever as we have two more executions already scheduled this month. Michael King is scheduled for execution on March 17, and James Duckett on March 31. We’ll share more about them in the days ahead, but for now, please take action for both of them.
In closing, one of Billy’s last requests for those who loved him was to choose love. To do things that bring them joy. Billy loved to paint and dance. Please, take a moment today and do something that you love and something that brings you joy.
And all the while, please also keep your anger bubbling just below the surface, and use it so that we may finally bring this barbaric killing spree to an end.
Onward,
Maria DeLiberato
FADP Legal and Policy Director
