Michael Bernard Bell execution: Man who killed Jimmy West, Tamecka Smith to be executed by lethal injection at FL State Prison
Share this @internewscast.com

STARKE, Fla. — A man who shot and killed two people outside a Florida bar during a failed revenge attempt is set to be executed on Tuesday.

Michael Bernard Bell, 54, is slated to undergo lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, unless a last-minute reprieve occurs. In 1995, he was convicted and sentenced to death for murdering Jimmy West and Tamecka Smith.

If carried out, Bell would be the eighth individual executed in Florida this year, with another execution planned for later this month. The state executed six people in 2023, with only one execution taking place last year.

Twenty-five men have already been executed in the U.S. this year, tying last year’s total.

Florida has executed more people than any other state this year, while Texas and South Carolina are tied for second place with four each. Alabama has executed three people, Oklahoma has killed two, and Arizona, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee each have killed one.

In December 1993, Bell spotted what he thought was the car of the man who fatally shot his brother earlier that year, according to court records. Bell was apparently unaware that the man had sold the car to West.

Bell called on two friends and armed himself with an AK-47 rifle, authorities said. They found the car parked outside a liquor lounge and waited. When West, Smith and another woman eventually exited the club, Bell approached the car and opened fire, officials said.

West died at the scene, and Smith died on the way to the hospital. The other woman escaped injury. Witnesses said Bell also fired at a crowd of onlookers before fleeing the area. He was eventually arrested the next year.

Bell was later convicted of three additional murders. He fatally shot a woman and her toddler son in 1989, and he killed his mother’s boyfriend about four months before the attack on West and Smith, officials said.

Attorneys for Bell have filed appeals with the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

The lawyers argued in their state filing that Bell’s execution should be halted because of newly discovered evidence about witness testimony. But justices unanimously rejected the argument last week and pointed to overwhelming evidence of Bell’s guilt in a 54-page opinion.

Bell’s attorneys filed a similar petition with the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday, but the panel has not yet issued a ruling.

This undated provided by the Florida Department of Corrections shows Michael Bell, who is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

This undated provided by the Florida Department of Corrections shows Michael Bell, who is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

Florida Department of Corrections via AP

Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Australian police fatally shoot a suspect in a 3-hour standoff after 2 officers killed

Australian Police Conclude Three-Hour Standoff with Fatal Shooting of Suspect Following Officer Fatalities

Australian authorities announced on Monday that they believe they have fatally shot…
President Trump posts letter from Billy Graham's son about fate of his immortal soul

Franklin Graham’s Letter to Trump Sparks Debate on Immortal Soul and Spiritual Legacy

WASHINGTON — In a letter shared on Truth Social this Palm Sunday,…
Former NJ Assemblyman Albert Coutinho, 56, killed in fiery car crash

Tragic Loss: Former NJ Assemblyman Albert Coutinho, 56, Dies in Fiery Car Accident

Albert Coutinho, a former New Jersey assemblyman with a checkered past, passed…
Teen girl gunned down in posh Chicago enclave as police rush to nab her killer

Teenager fatally shot in upscale Chicago neighborhood as authorities intensify search for suspect

In a heartbreaking incident, a community near Chicago is mourning the loss…

BMW Driver in Heated Road Rage Altercation in Newport Beach

A driver of a BMW has been arrested after being caught on…
Western Australia's skies turn a hellish red as Tropical Cyclone Narelle hit, stunning video shows

Tropical Cyclone Narelle Paints Western Australia’s Skies a Striking Red, Captivating Video Reveals

In a striking display of nature’s power, the western skies of Australia…
Pope Leo XIV rejects claims that God justifies war in Palm Sunday Mass message in St. Peter's Square

Pope Leo XIV Denounces War as Divinely Justifiable in Palm Sunday Address at St. Peter’s Square

Pope Leo XIV took a firm stand against the notion that divine…
DC air traffic controller Emily Hanoka reveals 'warning signs were all there' before midair crash that killed 67

DC Air Traffic Controller Emily Hanoka Unveils Overlooked Warning Signs Before Tragic Midair Collision Killing 67

A former air traffic controller from Washington, D.C., has come forward with…
March Madness: Illinois to face UConn in its first Final Four in 21 years after teams beat Iowa, Duke in Elite Eight

Illinois Advances to Final Four for the First Time in 21 Years After Victory Over UConn

CHICAGO — In a thrilling victory on Saturday, Illinois secured its first…
Passenger bomb threat triggers police response and evacuation on Frontier flight under investigation

Bomb Scare on Frontier Airlines Leads to Evacuation and Police Action

On Sunday, a Frontier Airlines flight was diverted to a secluded runway…
Our Chicago: For more than 50 years, Haymarket Center has helped people struggling with addiction

Chicago’s Haymarket Center: A 50-Year Legacy of Supporting Addiction Recovery

In 1975, Haymarket Center was established in Chicago by Monsignor Ignatius McDermott…
California gubernatorial candidates' salaries revealed

Unveiling California’s Gubernatorial Paychecks: What Do Candidates Really Earn?

As California prepares to elect a new governor to succeed Gavin Newsom,…