The execution of Linroy Bottoson, scheduled for February...

The execution of Linroy Bottoson, scheduled for February 5, was stayed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Florida employs judge sentencing in death cases, an issue under consideration by the High Court. Two hours after Bottoson's stay, Governor Bush announced that he would issue an executive order halting the execution of Robert Trease, who was scheduled to die on February 7. Citing the Supreme Court's decisions to stay Bottoson's and Amos King's executions, Bush stayed Trease's execution "until further action is taken by the Court."
Orange Circuit Judge Richard Conrad said if the high court ultimately throws out Florida's death penalty law, all 372 prisoners on death row could be resentenced to life in prison. Hundreds of other condemned prisoners in eight other states could be spared as well.