A man sentenced to death in Florida is set for execution next month for his conviction involving the abduction of a woman from an insurance office and her subsequent murder.
Kayle Bates, 67, is set to be put to death on Aug. 19 in the 10th execution scheduled for this year in Florida.
Bates was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted sexual battery connected to the June 14, 1982, killing of 24-year-old Janet White in Bay County.
Kayle Bates was convicted of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and attempted sexual battery in the 1982 death of Janet White. (AP)
Last year, his appeal concerning a juror from the original trial was dismissed by the Florida Supreme Court. The U.S. Supreme Court also refused a petition on June 30.
Bates’ attorney, James Driscoll Jr., said he would be filing further appeals in the case.
“We believe his execution would violate the U.S. constitution,” he told The Associated Press.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Bates’ death warrant on Friday, just three days after the state executed Michael Bell for shooting and killing two people outside a bar in 1993 as part of an attempted revenge killing.
Kayle Bates’ attorney said he would be filing further appeals in the case. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
Bell was the eighth person executed in Florida this year, and a ninth is scheduled for later this month. The state put six people to death in 2023, but only one execution happened last year.
Bell was the 26th person to be executed in the U.S. so far this year in the U.S., exceeding the 25 executions carried out last year. This is the highest number of executions since 2015, when 28 people across the country were put to death.
