Florida death penalty: Florida overruled.

• Author: Krisai, Lauren
• Position: Citings - Brief article

In January, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of Florida's capital punishment system. Wrote Justice Sonia Sotomayor for the majority opinion: "The Sixth Amendment requires a jury, not a judge, to find each fact necessary to impose a sentence of death."

Florida is one of only three states that not only allowed judges to override jury recommendations for life in prison but also did not require unanimous jury verdicts in death penalty cases. The other states with similar provisions are Alabama and Delaware.

Despite this ruling, Alabama executed an inmate named Christopher Brooks on January 21. His lawyers argued that the Hurst v. Florida decision also invalidates the way Alabama hands down death sentences, but authorities in Alabama disagreed, and the U.S. Supreme Court did not stop the execution from being carried out.

Delaware has taken a different approach. Following the ruling, a Superior...