James Barnes Executed 8/3/2023
On August 3, 2023, the State of Florida executed James Barnes. It was the fifth execution in the state in 2023.
Tonight, the State of Florida executed James Barnes. It was the fifth execution in the State in 2023.
Ahead of his execution, Barnes waived all postconviction claims and discharged counsel ahead of his execution, making him a “volunteer.” He is the tenth volunteer executed in the State since executions restarted in 1979 after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1976 decision in Furman v. Georgia. (A history of the volunteers executed in Florida is here.)
Information About the Execution
DOC held the usual press briefings regarding the execution. They were not broadcast live.
At the 3:30 briefing, according to Florida Today, DOC said that “James Barnes woke up at 5:30 a.m. today . . . . He did not request a last meal. Barnes also did not have any visitors or meet with any spiritual advisors . . . . [R]elatives of Barnes' victims will be present later to address the media.”
After the execution, Florida Today reported:
Barnes did not give a final statement.
There were about 20 witnesses inside when the media were allowed in to a white rectangular room facing a large glass window. At 6 p.m., the curtain over the window slowly opened and Barnes could be seen laying on a gurney and covered by a white sheet. His left arm was exposed with IV tubes and a brown strap attached.
At 6:01 p.m., Barnes elected not to give a final statement and the execution process began. Three suited men with earpieces observed him. At 6:12 p.m., a doctor emerged to check his vital signs. Barnes was pronounced dead at 6:13 p.m.
The witnesses were silent and showed no reaction.
“James Barnes was a violent and ruthless criminal,” Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie said in an email after the execution.
“And, while today's execution ensures he will never harm another individual again, let us not forget the victims and the torture they had endured. My heart goes out to the victims and their families,” he said.
News Articles About the Execution
2023 Executions
Here’s the updated map of the executions so far this year:
Prior TFDP Coverage on Barnes’s Case
Gov. DeSantis signing the warrant and the Florida Supreme Court’s Scheduling Order is covered here.
The background of Barnes’s case can be found here.
Analysis of the Scheduling Order in Barnes’s case is here.
Barnes waiving his right to raise postconviction claims ahead of his execution is covered here.
A history of Barnes’s life can be found here: Part I and Part II.
A look at Barnes’s visitation and call records is here.