WARRANT: Florida Supreme Court denies stay of execution
James Ford's execution is scheduled for February 13. This afternoon, the Court denied Ford's motion to stay his execution. Also this afternoon, Ford filed his Reply Brief, completing briefing.
James Ford’s execution is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 13, 2025—the first for the State in 2025.
Ahead of his execution, Ford filed a two-count successive motion for postconviction relief in the circuit court. (More here.) After denying Ford’s request for an evidentiary hearing,1 the circuit court denied Ford’s motion. (More here.) Ford appealed to the Florida Supreme Court, raising three claims. (More on Ford’s arguments in his Initial Brief here.) He also filed a motion to stay the execution and send the case back to the circuit court. (More on that here.)
Court Denies Motion to Stay
This afternoon, the Court unanimously denied Ford’s motion to stay his execution in a one-paragraph Order:
A full copy of the Order can be accessed on the Court’s docket here.
Ford’s Reply Brief
Also this afternoon, Ford filed his Reply Brief.
In the beginning of the Brief, Ford’s attorneys urge the Court to review Ford’s arguments under “the proper lens,” writing:
The instant case is literally a matter of life or death, because once the State has executed Ford, he will not have any recourse. Accordingly, this Court must exercise its duty to carefully review cases and prevent a manifest injustice. When post-warrant litigation calls upon this Court to correct past wrongs in circumstances where a death sentence was upheld based on the denial of constitutional rights, this Court can and should intervene.
As to his claims, the Reply argues that each claim is timely because it was prompted by the Governor signing the death warrant in January.
A full copy of Ford’s Reply Brief can be accessed on the Court’s docket here.
Briefing on Ford’s appeal is now complete. The Court could grant Ford’s request for oral argument; however, the Court has not held oral argument in a case where a death warrant is pending in several years. Assuming no oral argument will be held, it is unclear when the Court will issue its decision.
TFDP Prior Coverage of the Ford Warrant
My thoughts are with everyone involved in the warrant- and execution-related process.