Thompson’s Execution Set for October | Miami News

Governor Ron DeSantis has signed the death warrant for William Lee Thompson, set to die by lethal injection on October 13th — marking his third death warrant in a case stretching back to 1976. Convicted of murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery, Thompson’s sentence has endured decades of appeals, with his original guilty plea overturned before being re-sentenced to death in 1978. His crime: a brutal motel assault that left Sally Ivester beaten and burned to death. Activists are sounding alarms, citing claims of intellectual disability and a narrowly divided jury vote. Just one day prior, another inmate, Daniel Owen Conahan Jr., was executed — bringing DeSantis’ total death warrants this year to 17, nearing last year’s record. Another execution looms later this month for Curtis Wilkie Beasley, convicted in 1995. Thompson’s co-defendant, Rocco Surace, received a death sentence initially but was later reduced to life — and died in prison in 1993. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: [email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting. Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/desantis-death-warrant-thompson-execution-north-miami-beach-murder/ More coverage & latest updates: https://sources.thednn.ai/90e29bcebdc8fe6d Report issues to [email protected].