Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis withdrew a death warrant for 74-year-old William Lee Thompson on Thursday, halting an execution that had been scheduled for Tuesday. The action marks the first time DeSantis has withdrawn a death warrant in his nearly eight years in office.
Thompson was sentenced to death for the 1976 kidnapping and murder of Sally Ivester. Last month, DeSantis issued a temporary stay for Thompson to allow for a psychiatric evaluation, though prison officials had continued preparations for the lethal injection until the warrant was formally withdrawn.
Thompson’s attorney, Bri Lacy, stated that her client suffers from dementia and failing health. Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said Thompson's attorneys informed the governor that the inmate was incompetent for execution, noting that he did not know where he was and stated that "Bush" was the president. DeSantis did not provide a specific reason for the withdrawal in his letter, and his office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
While Thompson’s execution was halted, a second execution scheduled for Tuesday remains on track. James Robertson, 63, is scheduled to die for the 2008 strangling of his cellmate, Frank Hart. Robertson pleaded guilty and waived his appeals, telling investigators he committed the murder specifically to be moved to death row.
The decision affects Thompson, who remains on death row. His attorney is calling for the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) to move him to a medical facility for care.
Florida's capital punishment program is among the most active in the nation. Last year, the state carried out 19 executions, which sources said was a record since Florida reinstated the death penalty in 1976. In July, Florida became the first state in nearly a decade to execute two people on the same day. This withdrawal occurs amid national scrutiny following a botched execution in Tennessee on Sept. 30, where inmate Christa Pike survived two lethal doses of pentobarbital.
The withdrawal results in an indefinite postponement of Thompson's death date, though the governor maintains the legal authority to sign a new warrant in the future. The action follows an evaluation conducted last week, the results of which have not been publicly released by state officials. Thompson will continue to be held by the FDOC while his legal team seeks a transfer for medical treatment.