Dr. Joseph Thornton Proposes Legislation to Abolish the Death Penalty in Florida
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Joseph Thornton, thorntonasp@thorntonforhumandignity.com
Date: September 10, 2026
Dr. Joseph Thornton Proposes Legislation to Abolish the Death Penalty in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, FL — Dr. Joseph Thornton, physician, psychiatrist, and candidate for Florida Senate District 6, today announced the introduction of the Florida Abolition of Capital Punishment Act, a landmark bill that would end the use of the death penalty in Florida and replace it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
“Florida can protect its citizens without taking life,” Dr. Thornton said. “Abolition is not leniency—it is integrity. It is a commitment to human dignity, fiscal responsibility, and constitutional prudence.”
The bill repeals all statutory provisions authorizing capital punishment, commutes existing death sentences to life without parole, and expands victim‑services programs to ensure families receive trauma counseling and support.
Dr. Thornton emphasized that the death penalty poses unacceptable risks and costs. “Florida has one of the highest numbers of death‑row exonerations in the nation. We know wrongful convictions happen. We know many individuals on death row suffer from severe mental illness, traumatic brain injury, or service‑related PTSD. And we know capital cases cost taxpayers millions more than non‑capital cases.”
The proposed legislation reflects a growing national movement toward alternatives to capital punishment and aligns with modern moral frameworks emphasizing the inviolable dignity of every human life.
“This bill strengthens public safety, protects victims, and ensures that justice in Florida is carried out with humility, accuracy, and respect for life,” Dr. Thornton said.
The bill will be filed for consideration in the upcoming legislative session.
Additional Comments from Thornton:
Two months ago, I called for a moratorium on executions because the pace of executions had become unsafe and politically driven. At that time, the responsible step was to pause the system and strengthen safeguards. But what we’ve seen repeated over and over again the past 50 years is that the death‑penalty system isn’t just flawed—it’s structurally vulnerable to abuse. Any administration, not just Governor DeSantis, can accelerate executions, weaken protections, and risk irreversible injustice.
We’ve spent 50 years trying to make the death penalty fair, and yet it can still be expanded or weaponized at the stroke of a pen. That’s not a system we can trust with human life. The evidence has made the conclusion unavoidable: limits can slow the machinery, but only abolition can prevent wrongful executions and protect the integrity of justice. My position didn’t change suddenly—this is the natural progression when you follow the facts, observe the risks, and take seriously the responsibility to safeguard human life.”
