Loran Cole Scheduled for Execution in Florida

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has argued against delaying the execution of Loran Cole, a 57-year-old man with Parkinson's disease, despite his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court challenging the state's lethal injection procedures. Moody contends that Cole waited too long to raise concerns about the potential for unnecessary pain and suffering due to his condition, which he had been aware of for at least seven years prior to his death warrant being signed. Cole is scheduled for execution on August 29, following a conviction for the 1994 kidnapping, rape, and murder of two siblings camping in the Ocala National Forest. His attorneys argue that his Parkinson's symptoms will hinder the execution process by affecting the placement of intravenous lines. Additionally, Cole's appeal includes claims of violations of his 14th Amendment rights to due process and equal protection. The Florida Supreme Court has previously denied his appeals, and the case highlights ongoing controversies surrounding the death penalty and its procedures in the state.