Florida Set to Execute Former Marine for 1979 Murder of 6-Year-Old Girl

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STARKE, Fla. - In a move that has sparked debate over the death penalty, Florida is set to execute Bryan Frederick Jennings, a 66-year-old former Marine, for the murder of 6-year-old Rebecca Kunash in 1979. If carried out, it would be the 16th death sentence under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has overseen a record number of executions this year. Jennings was convicted and sentenced to death twice for the crime, with both sentences being overturned on appeal. His final trial in 1986 resulted in a third death sentence. The U.S. Supreme Court denied his last appeal on Wednesday, paving the way for Thursday's scheduled execution by lethal injection. According to court records, Jennings abducted Rebecca from her bedroom while her parents were in another room. He then took her to a nearby canal, where he raped and drowned her. Jennings was arrested a few hours later after investigators found evidence linking him to the crime scene. DeSantis has come under fire for his aggressive approach to the death penalty, with some critics arguing that it has become overly politicized. Jennings' case has raised questions about the fairness of the process, with his lawyers arguing that he was denied a state court lawyer for years and was not given a clemency review in over three decades. Florida's lethal injection protocol involves the use of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart. The state has carried out 16 executions under DeSantis, with two more scheduled for later this year and next. The case has also highlighted the broader debate over the death penalty in the United States. With 41 people having been executed so far this year, and at least 17 more scheduled to be put to death in the coming months, the issue remains a contentious one. In a statement, Maria DeLiberato, legal and policy director for Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, said: "Florida's death penalty system has become unrecognizable from the one the law promises. Bryan Jennings was left without a state court lawyer for years, denied a clemency review in this century, and then selected for execution because of favorable political timing.