Summary

Reaction from the State Capitol to the execution of Gerald Stano and the other scheduled executions.

Source CONUS Archive
Record ID 136332
Story Slug Electric Chair Reaction
Location Tallahassee, Florida
Format Pkg
Date 3/23/1998
Archive Time 34:53
TRT 1:40
Supers Tallahassee, Florida GOVERNOR LAWTON CHILES SEN RON KLEIN/(D) BOCA RATON TONY SCHALL/REPORTING
Video Description Shot of the prisoner, SOT of male, shot of the electric chair, shot of the law makers, shot of the electric chair, shot of the prisoner, SOT of the Mayor, shots of women hugging and crying, shot of the hearse, SOT of the mayor, shot of the prisoner, shot of a female prisoner.
Description Reaction from the State Capitol to the execution of Gerald Stano and the other scheduled executions.
Script LEAD: FLORIDA'S ELECTRIC CHAIR HAS BEEN A TOPIC OF HOT DEBATE AT THE STATE CAPITOL FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS. MUCH OF THAT DEBATE HAD BEEN CENTERED ON WHETHER THE CHAIR STILL WORKS PROPERLY. AND AS TONY SCHALL REPORTS, TODAY'S EXECUTION HAS ANSWERED THAT QUESTION FOR SOME. SCRIPT: THIS MORNING'S PROBLEM FREE EXECUTION OF GERALD STANO BROUGHT A COLLECTIVE SIGH OF RELIEF FROM MANY HERE AT THE STATE CAPITOL. (SOT-CHILES) STANO'S EXECUTION IS THE FIRST IN FLORIDA SINCE LAST MARCH, WHEN MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CHAIR CAUSED A FOOT LONG FLAME TO LEAP FROM THE HEAD OF PEDRO MEDINA. DESPITE THAT SETBACK, LAWMAKERS LIKE SENATOR RON KLEIN HAVE FOUGHT HARD TO KEEP "OLD SPARKY" IN PLACE...WITH LETHAL INJECTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE SHOULD THE CHAIR BE RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SENATOR KLIEN TOO WAS RELIEVED THE EXECUTION WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. IN FACT, THE SENATOR WITNESSED THE EXECUTION HIMSLF. (SOT-KLEIN) SENATOR KLIEN CALLED TODAY'S EXECUTION AN EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE THAT HE PLANS TO SHARE WITH HIS FELLOW LAWMAKERS. (SOT-KLEIN) STANO'S EXECUTION PAVES THE WAY FOR THREE MORE EXECUTIONS SCHEDULED OVER THE NEXT EIGHT DAYS, INCLUDING JUDITH BUENOANO, WHO STANDS TO BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN EVER EXECUTED IN FLORIDA'S ELECTRIC CHAIR. IN TALLAHASSEE, TONY SCHALL REPORTING. TAG: LEO JONES IS SET TO DIE IN THE ELECTRIC CHAIR TOMORROW, WITH TWO OTHERS SET FOR NEXT WEEK. END
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