With less than a week until his scheduled execution, the Florida Supreme Court on Friday denied two final appeals from Jeffrey Hutchinson, who was convicted of murdering three children in 1998. This follows an earlier rejection of another appeal and a federal court’s refusal to intervene. Hutchinson, 62, is set to be executed by lethal injection Thursday at Florida State Prison.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Hutchinson’s death warrant on March 31. Hutchinson was convicted of killing his girlfriend, Renee Flaherty, and her three children—Geoffrey, Amanda, and Logan Flaherty—in their Crestview home. He received death sentences for the children’s murders and a life sentence for Renee’s.
The killings occurred after Hutchinson left the home following an argument, drank at a local bar, then returned and used a shotgun to murder the family. His lawyers have argued for clemency, citing Gulf War-related brain damage and cognitive impairments, but the courts have remained unswayed.
The Florida Supreme Court, in a 6-1 decision, upheld a lower court’s ruling, stating Hutchinson had ample opportunity to raise postconviction claims. Justice Jorge Labarga dissented, arguing the court did not allow enough time for a full review.
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops also appealed to DeSantis to commute the sentence, emphasizing mercy. If carried out, Hutchinson’s execution would be the fourth in Florida this year.
It remains unclear whether Hutchinson’s attorneys will file a last-minute appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court.
