Florida man convicted of double murder set to face execution in February

In Florida, James Ford is slated for execution on February 13, 2025, after being convicted of the 1997 murders of Greg and Kimberly Malnory. The couple was tragically killed during a fishing trip, with their bodies discovered in a remote area of Charlotte County. The autopsy revealed they had been bludgeoned and shot, with Kimberly also a victim of rape. Disturbingly, their young child was left near the scene for over 18 hours, exposed to harsh conditions and covered in blood. Despite a decline in executions since 2023, Ford's case draws attention to Florida's approach to capital punishment, where last year only one person faced execution. Governor Ron DeSantis’s actions in this case mark a critical moment in the ongoing discourse regarding the death penalty in the state, as he signed the death warrant amidst ongoing national debates over the existence and morality of capital punishment. The decision is seen as an attempt to assert a tougher stance on crime by the governor, contrasting with previous years where no executions occurred under his administration.