FL clergy unite against death penalty as state prepares for three executions

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida is set to carry out three executions in the next four weeks, beginning Tuesday with the execution of 64-year-old Ronald Heath.

This comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis shattered the previous state record with 19 executions last year, prompting clergy across Florida to unite in calling for an end to the death penalty.

Heath was convicted of killing a traveling salesman in Gainesville in 1989. His brother Kenneth Heath was also charged with murder in the same case, but took a plea deal and testified against Ronald. Kenneth is currently serving a life sentence, highlighting what critics call unequal justice for the same crime.

Abraham Bonowitz, founder of Death Penalty Action, helped lead protests in almost every corner of Florida, with bells tolling throughout the state to call out opposition to capital punishment.

"The truth is, when we tell victims' families, 'wait until we kill the guy, then you'll feel better, but it's going to take a couple decades.' That asks them to put their healing process on hold," Bonowitz said.

The case of the Heath brothers exemplifies concerns about fairness in the death penalty system.

"That's one of the unfairnesses. And that's what gets me and helped me change my mind from being for the death penalty to being (against). We don't have equal justice," Bonowitz said.

Gov. DeSantis has made expanding capital punishment a priority, setting a state record for executions last year. He has led legislation to lower the threshold for death penalty sentences and added to the list of crimes eligible for the death penalty, saying his push comes down to justice.

With DeSantis showing no signs of slowing the pace of executions, Bonowitz and others in his organization plan to continue speaking out.

"I believe in fairness. I want justice to be equal," Bonowitz said.

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