Post-Parkland, Florida OKs easier path for death penalty

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida will soon no longer require unanimous jury recommendations for judges to impose death penalty sentences. The legislation passed Thursday is a reaction to the life sentence handed to the man who massacred 17 people at a Parkland high school. It will allow the death penalty with a jury recommendation of at least 8-4 in favor of execution. The House passed the bill on a 80-30 vote. It now goes to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who supports the proposal. The bill was filed after the outrage over a divided 9-3 jury sparing Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz from capital punishment for the 2018 massacre.