Two weeks from today, on Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m., Florida plans to execute Richard Knight.
Thank you for already showing up for Richard by signing his petition. Each signature is a way to show Gov. DeSantis that there are people all around the world who know that the death penalty doesn’t keep us safe.
We’re asking you to continue taking action by sending a letter to Gov. DeSantis. Each letter sent goes directly to him and his staff, meaning your words are getting into the hands of the one person who has unchallenged power to stop this execution.
Send a Letter to Gov. DeSantis
Read More About Richard’s Case
Richard was born in Jamaica and abandoned as an infant before eventually being placed into institutional care without a known name or birthdate. As a child, he endured repeated sexual abuse. As he grew older, he suffered from seizures, blackouts, severe headaches, and head trauma — yet the jury that sentenced him to death never heard a full account of how trauma and neurological impairment shaped his life.
Critical forensic questions in his case also remain unresolved. A latent fingerprint recovered from the blade of the murder weapon does not match Richard or any known individual connected to the case. His legal team is now seeking modern forensic testing that could fundamentally undermine the State’s theory of the crime.
Moreover, Richard’s lead attorney is attempting to litigate his case while also navigating his spouse’s medical emergency. Because Florida law allows for a warrant period of up to 180 days, there is no reason to operate on this condensed timeline. But in its quest to execute as many people as possible in the shortest amount of time, Florida has chosen expediency over accuracy, due process, and regard for basic humanity.
Finally, Richard is challenging Florida’s lethal injection protocol, including a disturbing provision allowing an invasive surgical “venous cut-down” procedure to be performed by unqualified personnel and without local anesthesia if the State struggles to establish IV access during the execution process.
Execution Vigils
For every execution in Florida, people across the state and world gather to mourn, protest, pray, and bear witness to the taking of a human life. Joining a vigil is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to show your opposition to the death penalty — and to invite others into this movement.
Ahead of Richard Knight’s execution on May 21 and Andrew Lukehart’s on June 2, we hope you’ll attend a vigil near you or consider hosting your own.
Hosting is easier than you might think:
- Choose a location — a place of worship, park, courthouse, or street corner all work.
- Email us at [email protected] so we can send signs and help spread the word.
- Gather anytime on the day of the execution to pray, sing, reflect, ring bells, or simply stand in witness.
Let us know how we can support you.
Andrew Lukehart
Andrew Lukehart is scheduled to be executed on Tuesday, June 2 at 6 p.m. for the tragic 1997 death of Gabrielle Hanshaw. His case presents a deeply complicated set of facts that cannot be reduced to a simple narrative — something reflected in the fact that three jurors voted to sentence him to life in prison rather than death. Because Florida remains one of only two states that allows death sentences based on non-unanimous jury recommendations, Andrew was sent to death row.
During his decades on death row, Andy has expressed profound remorse and has built meaningful relationships with family members, spiritual advisers, and pen pals. People who know him today describe someone who has worked to help others struggling with addiction and mental health challenges, encouraged those around him, and devoted himself to his faith and personal growth.
We will share more information soon about the serious legal and humanitarian concerns surrounding Andy’s case. In the meantime, we hope you will take a moment to sign his petition and stand with those calling for mercy.
Stop an Execution Fast Track Rule
The Trump administration has proposed a federal rule change that would make it easier for states to “fast track” executions — increasing the risk that courts rush through cases without fully reviewing serious constitutional violations or evidence of innocence. Before this rule can take effect, the Department of Justice must accept public comments, so we’ve created a webpage with everything you need to submit a comment and take action before the May 15 deadline.
James Duckett
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Jim Duckett is entitled to the underlying data from his recently completed DNA testing. That is, the Florida Supreme Court determined that he was entitled to the full results of the DNA testing that he and his defense team paid for.
On May 4, the circuit court ordered that the data be released to the defense team so that it can be further analyzed by Othram Laboratories in Texas. That process is happening now, and we will update you as soon as any new updates are available.
Thank you for your advocacy. We’re grateful to be in the fight with you.
Onward,
The FADP Team