Two prisoners set to die in October

September 23, 2006 Florida

Two prisoners set to die in October

By Paul Flemming, Tallehassee Democrat

Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday evening set execution dates for two prisoners -Danny Rolling, the notorious Gainesville killer who pleaded guilty to the1990 murders of five University of Florida students in the college town; andA.D. Rutherford, a Milton man who was set to die in January but got alast-minute stay

Rolling murdered and mutilated Sonya Larson, Christina Powell, Christa Hoyt,Manny Taboada and Tracy Paules over three days in August 1990. His executionis set for Oct. 25.

Rutherford, a Milton native, was sentenced to death for the beating anddrowning death of Stella Salamon on Aug. 22, 1985. He is now scheduled todie Oct. 18 at 6 p.m.

Bush on Friday evening set the new execution date for Rutherford, extendingan existing death warrant. He was set to die in January when the U.S.Supreme Court granted him a last-minute stay.

The execution dates for Rolling and Rutherford come two days after the stateexecuted another prisoner. Clarence Hill's lawyers failed to get a hearingthat Florida's three-drug cocktail might cause excruciating pain. Hisappeals claiming the state's lethal-injection methods were unconstitutionalwas rejected by federal courts, but on the basis that his claims were filedtoo late.

Rutherford's January stay from the highest court came a week after Hill's.Bush said in a letter to Florida State Prison Warden Randall Bryant that theSupreme Court's stay was lifted July 21.Calls to Rutherford's attorneys were not immediately returned.

Rutherford and Rolling would be the 62nd and 63rd prisoners executed inFlorida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. There are 376inmates on the state's Death Row. ---Source : Tallehassee Democrat
Tallahassee Democrat