Florida: Michael Lambrix asks US Supreme Court to halt planned execution

A Florida inmate convicted of killing 2 people decades ago has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to halt Thursday's scheduled execution.

Attorneys for Michael Lambrix filed the appeal Tuesday.

Lambrix was convicted of killing Clarence Moore and Aleisha Bryant. Prosecutors said he killed the pair in 1983 outside his trailer near LaBelle, northeast of Fort Myers, after an evening of drinking.

Lambrix argued that the execution, scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, should be halted after Florida's death penalty sentencing method was found to be unconstitutional.

The state has since required a unanimous jury vote in death cases.

The jury was not unanimous in either of Lambrix's death sentence decisions, but Florida's Supreme Court has said the new rules do not apply to cases as old as his.

Source: Associated Press, October 5, 2017

Vigil for Shropshire man's death row pen pal

A British pen pal of a convicted Florida killer on death row will be holding a vigil as he waits to hear if a last-ditch appeal has succeeded.

Mike Lambrix is due to be executed tonight by lethal injection after 33 years on death row.

Speaking to US media, Lambrix said recent changes to the law meant his death sentence was unconstitutional.

Jan Arriens, from Bishop's Castle in Shropshire, has been writing to Lambrix since 1991.

Mr Arriens said Lambrix currently has 3 appeals before the US Supreme Court, including one handwritten by the killer himself, running to 25 pages.

It is possible Lambrix won't find out if 1 of his appeals has been successful "until he's on the gurney waiting for the lethal injection to be applied," Mr Arriens said.

"We're having a vigil with a small number of people here in Bishop's Castle," he said.

"We'll be sitting here not knowing what's happened unless a stay comes through. If it goes ahead, we won't know until we get a text from a witness."

According to the Jacksonville Daily Record, Lambrix murdered a couple he had invited to his trailer for dinner.

He was accused of attacking Clarence Moore Jr when they were alone outside the trailer, then calling Aleisha Bryant outside, where she was kicked in the head and strangled.

Mr Arriens said Lambrix claims he hit the man in self defence after finding Ms Bryant strangled.

But the Florida state's version was he killed both victims intentionally.

'Deliberate murder'

Under recent changes to the law in Florida, Mr Arriens said Lambrix would not have been sentenced to death because jurors did not vote unanimously for his execution.

Lambrix told US media: "It won't be an execution. It'll be a deliberate act of murder.

"Myself and everybody sentenced to death since 1974 who had anything less than a unanimous jury verdict were illegally and unconstitutionally sentenced to death."

Mr Arriens won't know if his pen pal has died until after Lambrix's scheduled execution at 23:00 BST (18:00 local time).

He added: "He knows the end could well come today."

Source: BBC News, October 5, 2017

Push for stay of execution for Michael Lambrix

Michael Lambrix has maintained his innocence for 34 years, but he said he won't repeat the claim, out of respect for the victims' families, if it comes time for him to make a final statement at his execution.

Michael Lambrix is a Plant City high school dropout. He had run-ins with the law at an early age.

"Just stupid stuff. writing bad checks, and stealing a couple cars," Lambrix explained.

Lambrix was arrested after his girlfriend was stopped in Tampa driving the victim's car.

"A witness that the jury in my 1st trial found so un-credible that they couldn't reach any verdict," he said.

Florida's Catholic Bishops have sent a letter to Governor Rick Scott, asking him to stop the pending execution. It cites both constitutional and moral grounds.

Ingrid DelGado of the Florida Catholic Conference said, "Had Mr. Lambrix been sentenced after 2002, his case would be eligible for resentencing, but also Mr. Lambrix has indicated he was offered a plea deal, which had he accepted it, he would have already returned to society."

During an hour-long interview, Lambrix repeatedly professed his innocence.

"In fact, I'll be the only honorably discharged disabled veteran Governor Scott has ever killed," he said.

But the death row inmate says he will not repeat his claims of innocence if it comes to making a final statement at his execution.

Lambrix said, "The last thing I want to do is cause any more pain or suffering to the Bryant family."

Instead, Lambrix will say the Lord's Prayer.

Lambrix said, "I have no doubt whatsoever that I'm going to wake up to a better existence."

Lambrix's family, including his mother, stepfather, sisters, and children are all at the prison. All are being counseled about grief in what could be the final hours of Michael Lambrix's life.

A spokesman for Governor Rick Scott said, "Signing death warrants is one of the governor's most solemn duties. The governor's top concern is always with the families of the victims of these horrible crimes."

Source: WJHG news, October 5, 2017

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