File photo: Kayle Barrington Bates and Janet Renee White (Picture credit: AP, X)
Florida on Tuesday carried out its record 10th execution of the year, putting to death Kayle Barrington Bates, who was convicted of abducting and murdering insurance worker Janet Renee White in 1982.Bates, 67, received a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke and was pronounced dead at 6:17 pm (local time), according to the state’s department of corrections. Governor Ron DeSantis had signed the death warrant last month. Witnesses said Bates declined to make a final statement and refused a last meal. As per news agency AP, he was strapped to a gurney, and the execution began at 6:01 pm (local time). He was unresponsive within minutes and declared dead shortly after.White’s husband, Randy White, who witnessed the execution, described it as long-awaited justice. “I made a promise to her right after it happened that I would be there for every trial, every hearing, every appeal, and that as long as I was living, I would seek justice for her,” he was quoted as saying by USA Today. “I feel a relief that I can mentally let Renee know that justice has finally been served for her, and that’s mentally what I need. It’s always been for her.”Court records show Bates abducted White from her State Farm office in Lynn Haven, dragged her into nearby woods, attempted to sexually assault her, stabbed her to death and stole her wedding ring. He was arrested shortly afterwards, covered in blood, with the ring in his pocket.Bates’ lawyers had filed last-minute appeals, including claims of organic brain damage and racial bias in Florida’s use of the death penalty, but the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court rejected them. A federal lawsuit accusing DeSantis of discrimination in signing death warrants was also dismissed.Veterans’ groups had urged the governor to spare Bates because of his service in the Florida National Guard, but DeSantis maintained he was signing warrants for “the worst of the worst.” A spokeswoman said the execution was based solely on his crimes, not his military status.Since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, Florida’s highest previous annual total was eight executions in 2014. With Tuesday’s execution, the state has now surpassed that record, and two more executions are scheduled: Curtis Windom on 28 August and David Pittman on 17 September.Nationwide, Bates’ execution marked the 29th this year, the highest in a decade. At least nine more are scheduled before the end of 2025, according to AP.
