TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court has rejected the latest attempt by convicted serial killer Bobby Joe Long to avert his date with execution next week.
On Friday, the court unanimously rejected Long's third appeal.
In the latest appeal, Long and his legal team argued, among other things, that medical advances in the assessment of his brain damage since his 1989 sentencing should lead to a new hearing. They also said the length of time he has spent on death row should already count as punishment, so executing him would violate the Eighth and 14th amendments.
In a 21-page response, the court said Long didn't meet the standard of a new hearing because he hadn't raised the issue in the past 30 years, so it did not count as "new evidence."
The court also said it has rejected similar claims about the length of time spent on death row.
Long is scheduled to die May 23.
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