Today, FADP delivered nearly 6,000 petition signatures in person to Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Board of Executive Clemency on behalf of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP), Death Penalty Action (DPA), and Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), urging them to stop Kayle Bates’ execution.
The petitions demand that Governor DeSantis use his sole authority to halt the scheduled execution of Air Force veteran Kayle Bates, set to take place tonight at Florida State Prison.
Kayle’s case underscores the deep flaws in Florida’s death penalty system. He has endured more than 42 years on death row and has consistently raised serious legal concerns—including the denial of DNA testing, ineffective trial counsel, and the fairness of his jury—issues that go to the heart of due process and equal justice. Yet, despite these unresolved constitutional questions, the state is prepared to execute him.
By delivering these petitions, we honor the voices of thousands across Florida and the nation who reject the notion that killing in the name of justice makes us safer. Tonight’s planned execution is not justice—it is cruelty, carried out in our names and with our tax dollars.
We will continue to stand with those calling for an end to executions in Florida, and for a system rooted not in vengeance, but in fairness, compassion, and real safety.