Media Contact

ACLU of Florida media office, media@aclufl.org, (786) 363-2737

October 25, 2019

MIAMI, FL - On Wednesday, Oct. 23, James Dailey, a veteran who served his country during three tours in Vietnam and one tour in Korea and who has spent more than 30 years on death row, was granted a limited stay of execution by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which will allow his substantial claims of innocence to be considered. 

The court’s decision could be appealed by Gov. DeSantis. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida urges Gov. DeSantis not to appeal or oppose the limited stay of execution in order to allow Dailey’s case to proceed under the timeline directed by the Court. 

Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Florida, said:

“Sentencing innocent people to die is not justice. It’s simply cruel and unusual punishment. James Dailey’s case demonstrates how the imposition of the death penalty can deprive an individual of the opportunity to benefit from new evidence or laws that could merit the reversal of a conviction, or exoneration of a death sentence.

“Florida has one of the most horrific death penalty systems in the country and has been plagued by wrongful convictions before. No one should have to die from the flaws in our judicial system. Capital punishment is an intolerable denial of civil liberties and is inconsistent with the fundamental values of our democratic system. We urge Gov. DeSantis not to appeal or oppose the limited stay of execution for James Dailey and allow him his day in court. His life depends on it--and justice demands it.”