TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Edward Zakrzewski, a 60-year-old inmate, met his end within Florida’s death chamber, expressing gratitude to the state for executing him “in the most cold, calculated, clean, humane, efficient way possible.” As the lethal injection proceeded, he became the 27th individual executed in the United States this year, marking the highest count in a decade.
Under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has executed nine individuals in 2025, surpassing any other state and establishing a new state record for executions in a calendar year since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976. The uptick in Florida's executions has significantly contributed to a national trend, as more individuals have been executed in the first seven months of the current year than in all of 2024, placing the U.S. on track to exceed the total number of executions recorded in 2015, which stood at 28.
Moreover, the pace of executions is expected to rise further, with nine additional executions scheduled across seven states in the remainder of 2025. This recent trend diverges from historical patterns following a steady decline in executions since 1999, attributed to legal challenges, drug shortages for lethal injections, and diminishing public endorsement of capital punishment. A noticeable increase in the number of executions has coincided with political pushes by Republican figures, including former President Donald Trump, urging prosecutors to actively seek the death penalty and advocating for the expansion of death penalty offenses.
John Blume, director of the Cornell Death Penalty Project, noted that the rise in executions does not reflect a shift in public opinion or an uptick in death sentences, but rather the discretion exercised by governors. During a May press conference, DeSantis asserted the necessity of the death penalty for heinous crimes, suggesting an obligation to oversee executions, which he posits provides closure for victims’ families.
Julie Andrew, who witnessed the execution of her sister's murderer, expressed relief and a sense of newfound peace following the execution, stating, “It’s done... My heart felt lighter and I can breathe again.” Despite this, the governor's office has been reticent regarding the current increase in executions and whether Trump’s policies influenced this pattern. Critics have expressed concerns over the seemingly arbitrary nature of the death warrant signing process, describing it as secretive.
As of now, Florida has 266 inmates on death row, with some having waited over 40 years for execution. DeSantis remarked that decisions to proceed with executions stem from his belief in the correctness of verdicts and the appropriateness of the punishment. The United States continues to rank among the top countries for confirmed executions globally, alongside nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt, with China reportedly executing more individuals than any other country, though exact figures remain classified.
Opponents of the death penalty, such as Suzanne Printy, continue to rally for mercy and justice, holding vigils and delivering petitions to the governor’s office. Despite their efforts, the momentum for executions has remained strong, with two additional death warrants signed recently. Florida’s execution counts have shown significant variability year to year, with DeSantis having approved only one death warrant in 2024 and none from 2020 to 2022, while six executions took place in 2023.
Legal appeals, changes in administrative resources, and the political landscape significantly impact the execution rates under different governors. The ongoing debate around the death penalty reflects broader societal tensions regarding justice, punishment, and the moral implications of state-sanctioned execution.
