TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A group of Florida death row exonerees and criminal justice advocates plans to gather at the state Capitol on Thursday to urge Gov.-elect Byron Donalds to pause executions and examine what they describe as systemic flaws that can lead to wrongful convictions.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 12 and will feature former death row inmates who were later exonerated, along with advocates calling for reforms to Florida’s capital punishment system.
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Speakers are expected to share personal accounts of being wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death, describing the lasting impact those convictions had on their lives and families.
Florida has exonerated more death row inmates than any other state since modern death penalty laws were enacted in 1976. According to organizers, 30 men have been released from Florida’s death row after evidence emerged proving their innocence.
Three of the exonerees speaking at Thursday’s event collectively spent 26 years on death row for crimes they did not commit before their convictions were overturned.
“When people hear that someone is on death row, many assume that person must be guilty. I understand that, but I was there, and I was innocent. So were 29 other men in Florida. I hope the next governor will think about us when he’s told that a case is certain and there’s no reason to pause executions,” said Joaquín José Martínez, a Florida death row exoneree.
The group is calling on Donalds to suspend executions, review state laws they believe contribute to wrongful convictions and ensure every death penalty case receives thorough scrutiny before an execution is carried out.
The appeal comes as Florida continues an unprecedented pace of executions. The state carried out 19 executions in 2025, setting a new annual record.
Advocates argue that Florida’s history of wrongful convictions demonstrates the need for additional safeguards before carrying out irreversible punishments.
Before 2025, Florida averaged about three executions per year, making the state’s recent increase in executions a focal point for critics who say the justice system must prioritize accuracy and fairness over speed.
Thursday’s rally is expected to bring renewed attention to the debate over capital punishment in Florida as the state prepares to carry out its next scheduled execution.
>>>EVENT DETAILS<<<
WHAT: Death Row Exoneree Press Conference
WHEN: Thursday, November 12, at 11 a.m. Eastern Time
WHERE: Leroy Collins Leon County Public Library, 200 W Park Ave, Tallahassee, FL 32301. 1st floor, Meeting Room B.
WHO: Joaquín José Martínez, the 19th person exonerated from Florida’s death row.
Herman Lindsey, Executive Director of Witness to Innocence, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting death row exonerees, and the 23rd person exonerated from Florida’s death row.
Seth Penalever, the 24th person exonerated from Florida’s death row.
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