Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the first death warrant of 2026, scheduling the execution of Ronald Palmer Heath — who was sentenced to death for the 1989 murder of Michael Sheridan — for Tuesday, February 10, at 6 p.m., continuing Florida’s unprecedented execution pace from last year without pause or reflection.
Ronald’s case reflects the same systemic failures that defined 2025: extreme disparities between co-defendants, a non-unanimous (10-12) jury recommendation, and reliance on incentivized testimony. His brother received a life sentence with the possibility of parole. Ronald now faces execution in one month.
This isn’t about relitigating the past — it’s about what kind of future Florida is choosing. Continuing executions at this pace continues the risk of irreversible error and deepens the trauma for everyone involved: victims’ families, corrections staff, courts, and communities.
We don’t have to accept this as normal. A stay of execution is not weakness — it is responsibility. Please take a moment to sign this petition urging the Governor and Clemency Board to stop the execution and grant clemency.