Florida Death Row inmate appeals to U.S. Supreme Court seeking stay of execution

ORLANDO, Fla. — An attorney for Death Row inmate Louis Gaskin has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to try to halt a scheduled Wednesday execution of Gaskin in the 1989 murders of a Flagler County couple.

Attorney Eric Pinkard filed documents Thursday seeking a stay of execution and asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider arguments about whether Gaskin should be spared the death penalty.

>>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<

The filings came after the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block the execution. Gaskin, now 56, was convicted in the murders of Robert and Georgette Sturmfels during a burglary of their Flagler County home.

The appeals at the Florida Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court have focused, in part, on arguments that a jury was not given evidence of Gaskin’s mental illness before recommending that he be sentenced to death.

Read: Attorneys look to stop execution of man who murdered Flagler County couple in 1989

The jury voted 8-4 to recommend that Gaskin be executed, with a judge then issuing the death sentence.

“This (U.S. Supreme) Court has made clear that the consideration of mitigation by the sentencer, is at the heart of the constitutionality of the death penalty,” Pinkard wrote in Thursday’s motion for a stay. “Because the trial judge and the recommending jury were denied the mitigation (evidence) that was extant in Mr. Gaskin’s case, the recommending jury and the trial court never focused on the unique circumstances of Mr. Gaskin. His deprivation, mental illness, and trauma he suffered was never heard, thus failing to meet the minimum constitutional requirements.”

Read: Edgewater police release video after man dies after pointing gun at officers

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Gaskin’s death warrant last month.

Read: Wet weekend ahead for Central Florida as front moves in

Click here to download the free WFTV news and weather apps, click here to download the WFTV Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2023 Cox Media Group