DeSantis eases requirements for death penalty in capitol felony cases

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed into law legislation ending the requirement that a jury unanimously recommend the death penalty after convicting a potential recipient.

"Today, I signed legislation ensuring the victims of the most heinous crimes get justice," he announced via Twitter. "Once a defendant in a capital case is found guilty by a unanimous jury, one juror should not be able to veto a capital sentence."

The state Senate approved the legislation in March while the House backed the measure last week.

"If at least eight jurors determine that the defendant should be sentenced to death, the jury's recommendation to the court must be a sentence of death," the legislation reads. "If fewer than eight jurors determine that the defendant should be sentenced to death, the jury's recommendation to the court must be a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole."

Previously, receipt of the death penalty required the unanimous support of the jurors. DeSantis signed the legislation following a jury's failure last year to unanimously agree on a death sentence for a mass shooter, The Hill observed. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooter Nikolas Cruz had pleaded guilty to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.