Korbin Miles Rep.

Michelle Rehwhinkle Vasilindas three-year effort to repel Floridas death penalty gets trumped by the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee. On Thursday, House Bill 4005, sponsored by state Representative Vasilinda to abolish the death penalty in Florida, was rejected by a 9-4 vote. Florida currently has 404 inmates on death row, the second highest in the nation. In 2012 Florida sentenced more people to death than any other state and executed 3 inmates by lethal injection. I think the death penalty is unfair, I could not image the amount of stress that the jury goes through to impose that sentence on someone, said Annamarie Mason, 21, a senior from Cairo Ga. In 2000, lethal injection was allowed as an alternative means of execution rather than the electric chair. According to the department of corrections, white males are the majority with 239 inmates on death row followed by 147 black males. There are only 5 females on death row one being white and two being black as of February 10, 2013, all inmates are convicted with 1st degree murder. According to Scripps Treasure Coast Newspaper the cost of housing inmates on death row in Florida exceeds $1 million. I feel like the death penalty is a necessary evil, said Jashari Holloway, 21, psychology major from Orlando, I feel that the death penalty should be regulated to the highest degree so that ordinary criminals cannot arrive on death row. But I refuse to agree with the billions of taxpayer dollars being used to house these hardened criminals with nothing but harm to contribute to society. Vasilinda, chose to represent the bill because it connects with her values, as a Catholic, the death penalty does not fit well with her beliefs. Capital punishment is morally and ethically wrong Vasilinda said during the hearing. She stated that theres too great of a risk of innocent inmates being put to death, 24 inmates have been exonerated while they were serving on death row. Vasilindas determination against the death penalty is very important to society, said Marissa Brown, 22, English major from Fort Lauderdale, I dont believe in the death penalty because in reality it doesnt truly validate nor justify the life that was taken, her bill was rejected from an economic standpoint, I do not agree with that, said Brown. Vasilinda plans to continue the fight to abolish the death penalty in the future for Florida.

Marissa Brown-954-636-0528 Jashari Holloway-407-454-0763 Annamarie Mason-229-221-0425