DeSantis halts William Thompson execution amid dementia crisis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis withdrew the death warrant for William Thompson, a 74-year-old inmate scheduled for execution, citing concerns over his severe dementia. Thompson, convicted in 1976 for the torture murder of Sally Ivester, was spared just days before his scheduled lethal injection. This marks the first time DeSantis has withdrawn a death warrant during his tenure, despite Florida’s record-breaking execution rate this year. Thompson remains on death row, but his case highlights growing scrutiny of executing cognitively impaired inmates.