An inmate convicted of the 1996 murder of a five-month-old infant was executed by lethal injection at a Florida state prison on Tuesday, June 2, after refusing a final meal.
Execution Details
The execution took place at a state prison near Starke. According to Department of Corrections spokesperson Jordan Kirkland, the inmate declined both a final meal and visitors, though he did meet with a spiritual advisor.
The inmate was sentenced to death in 1997 for first-degree murder and child abuse. Court records indicate that in February 1996, he was caring for five-month-old Gabrielle Hanshaw while her mother attended to another sick child. Following the murder, he phoned his partner and falsely claimed the infant had been kidnapped.
Legal Challenges and Final Words
The Florida Supreme Court rejected the inmate’s appeal last week. His defense team had argued that his kidney medication could cause a dangerous interaction with the lethal injection drugs and that the one-month interval between the signing of the death warrant and the execution violated his right to due process.
When asked for final words, the inmate looked at those present and said, “I apologize.” He then quoted the Gospel of Luke: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Capital Punishment Trends
Tuesday’s execution was the eighth in Florida this year. A record nineteen executions were recorded in 2025, the highest number in the state since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976 under Governor Ron DeSantis. In 2025, 47 executions were carried out across the United States.
Globally, the death penalty remains in effect in 54 countries. Last year saw 2,700 executions, the highest count in forty years and a 78 percent increase over the previous year. Amnesty International’s Agnès Callamard described the rise as an alarming trend driven by a small group of nations.