With his scheduled execution just days away, condemned murderer Edward James has filed a last-minute appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking a stay of execution and further legal proceedings.
James, 63, is scheduled to be executed on Thursday for the 1993 murders of Betty Dick and her 8-year-old granddaughter, Toni Neuner, in Seminole County.
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Attorney Dawn Macready, representing James, filed the petition on Monday, citing an 11-1 jury recommendation that led to James’ death sentence. She also argued that the execution would violate the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.
James, who had rented a room from Dick, committed the murders after a night of drinking and drug use. Court documents detail a horrific crime scene, where James strangled the child and sexually assaulted her before stabbing Dick to death in her bedroom.
Governor Ron DeSantis issued a death warrant for James on February 18th, triggering a series of appeals in state and federal courts.
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Both the Florida Supreme Court and the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals have rejected previous appeals, upholding the death sentence. The Florida Supreme Court unanimously affirmed a ruling by Seminole County Circuit Judge Melanie Chase, who also ruled against James.
The U.S. Supreme Court is now the final avenue of appeal for James, as his execution date rapidly approaches.
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