Florida comes up with a possible fix to death penalty

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Florida lawmakers have come up with a way to fix the state’s death penalty and allow the state to resume executions.

The Florida House on Thursday voted 93-20 and overwhelmingly passed a death penalty bill that would require at least 10 of 12 jurors to recommend execution for it to be imposed. The Senate is expected to approve the bill soon and send it to Gov. Rick Scott.

The Legislature is rewriting the death penalty law after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last month that the current method is unconstitutional because it allows judges to reach a different decision than juries, which has only an advisory role in recommending death.

The Supreme Court decision has thrown the state’s criminal justice system into limbo. Judges and prosecutors have delayed moving ahead with murder cases while they wait to see what the Legislature does.