Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis withdrew the death warrant for William Lee Thompson, a 74-year-old inmate scheduled to be executed on October 13, halting the execution just days before it was set to proceed. The decision, announced in a letter to Florida State Prison Warden Randall Polk on Thursday, marks the first time DeSantis has withdrawn a death warrant since taking office in 2019. Thompson was convicted of the 1976 murder and kidnapping of Sally Ivester, a 23-year-old victim who died from shock and internal injuries after being assaulted with chains, cigarettes, and a chair leg at a Miami hotel. Prosecutors described the crime as 'Dade's meanest murder.'
Thompson’s execution was paused after a psychiatric evaluation revealed severe cognitive decline. His attorney, Bri Lacy, stated that Thompson suffers from dementia and failing health, which made his impending execution a grave concern. A neuropsychologist’s report, commissioned by DeSantis, found that Thompson exhibited a 'profound level' of cognitive impairment, including an inability to recognize his death sentence or understand the reason for it. The evaluation was conducted after Thompson’s counsel notified the governor of his deteriorating mental state, including instances where he mistook former President George W. Bush for the current president.
Thompson was not the only inmate set to be executed on October 13. James Robertson, 63, who pleaded guilty to the 2008 strangling of his cellmate Frank Hart at the Charlotte Correctional Institution, remains scheduled for execution as planned. Robertson waived all appeals and told investigators he killed Hart to be moved to death row.
Legal and advocacy groups respond to the withdrawal. Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, noted that Thompson’s mental state had deteriorated to the point where he was unaware of his death sentence. Hanna criticized the lack of transparency, stating that officials never released the findings of the psychiatric evaluation or explained the withdrawal. Thompson’s case has drawn attention amid broader scrutiny of the death penalty, including a recent botched execution attempt in Tennessee, where Christa Pike survived after receiving two lethal doses of pentobarbital.
Florida’s death penalty procedures under DeSantis. Since taking office, DeSantis has aggressively pursued the death penalty, overseeing multiple executions. However, Thompson’s case marks a rare instance where a death warrant was withdrawn. State and federal law prohibit the execution of individuals with intellectual disabilities, a factor that appears to have influenced the decision. Thompson’s diagnosis of dementia and his need for extensive medical care in recent months—including treatment for sepsis and systolic heart failure—were documented in medical reports.
Thompson, who has been on death watch since his warrant was signed on September 11, is now the first gravely ill prisoner to remain in this restrictive housing unit. His legal team has called for his relocation to an adequate medical facility, stating that the Florida Department of Corrections should provide the care he requires. The Florida Supreme Court denied Thompson’s motion for a stay hours before DeSantis’s withdrawal of the warrant, leaving the door open for further legal challenges or procedural reviews.