WARRANT: James seeks emergency relief in federal court
On Monday, James filed an emergency motion in federal court seeking to amend his petition for a writ of habeas corpus or for relief from the Court's prior denial of his petition.
Last week, Gov. DeSantis signed a warrant for Edward James’ execution,1 which is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on March 20. If completed, it will be the second execution in the State this year.
His successive motion for postconviction relief and other motions are pending in the circuit court for Seminole County.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida previously denied James’ petition for a writ of habeas corpus as untimely. On February 3, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit denied a certificate of appealability. On Monday, James filed a motion for reconsideration—which remains pending.
Also on Monday, James, through his attorneys, also filed an Emergency Motion for Leave to Amend his federal petition for writ of habeas corpus. In the alternative, he seeks relief from the denial of his petition based on the new evidence he has recently discovered.
The motion attaches ~160 pages of evidence to support the request, comprised of expert recommendations and medical information.
A full copy of the motion can be downloaded here.
TFDP Prior Coverage of the James Warrant
My thoughts are with everyone involved in the warrant- and execution-related process.