Last night, Florida carried out the execution of Kayle Bates (also known as Maud Dib Al Sharif Qu’un), a 67-year-old Black Muslim veteran who had spent more than forty years on death row. His case was deeply marred by racial bias, ineffective legal counsel, and the denial of basic constitutional rights.
Kayle’s execution represents not justice, but a deliberate choice by the State of Florida — one that leaves communities grieving and highlights the systemic failures of the death penalty itself. No Floridians woke up safer this morning. Instead, countless people woke up mourning a man whose life could have been spared.
At Sustainable Action Now, we continue to expose these injustices and call for a system rooted in fairness, compassion, and accountability. You can learn more about the broader fight to end capital punishment in our dedicated death penalty section.
The Execution of Kayle Bates: A Case Poisoned by Bias
Kayle’s four decades on death row were plagued with injustice from the start. His trial reflected a pattern of racial bias that has historically marked Florida’s capital punishment system. His legal counsel was inadequate, his constitutional rights were disregarded, and appeals for clemency were ignored.
The reality is simple: Kayle’s death was not inevitable. It was a choice made by state officials, and it sets the stage for even more executions in the weeks ahead.
Curtis Windom: The Next in Line for Execution
Unless urgent action is taken, Curtis Windom will face execution on August 28. His case has been described by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as emblematic of Florida’s broken and reckless death penalty system.
Several aspects make Curtis’ case particularly egregious:
- Family Opposition to the Execution
- Surviving family members of the victims — Johnnie Lee, Valerie Davis, and Mary Lubin — have consistently opposed his execution.
- In 2013, over a dozen letters were submitted in support of clemency for Curtis. Family members, including his own daughter Curtisia, explained that another execution would only deepen cycles of pain and trauma.
- “It has been over 20 years since the murders of my mother and grandmother and I do not feel that an execution for Curtis is necessary… I have forgiven Curtis along with my siblings and we feel that everyone deserves a second chance.” — Eldest child of Valerie Davis / Grandchild of Mary Reeves
- “Curtis Windom is my uncle. His life is valuable to me and my family. His death sentence would cause more hurt and more loss to us.” — Nephew of Mary Reeves, Cousin of Valerie Davis
- “I know my brother is not the same man he was 20 years ago. He has found God and changed his life. To take his life now would not bring peace to anyone.” — Sister of Curtis Windom
- Retaliatory Use of Death Warrants
- According to court filings, Governor Ron DeSantis’ decision to sign Curtis’ death warrant was retaliatory, a direct response to Kayle Bates’ legal challenges against racial discrimination in Florida’s warrant process.
- This chilling revelation suggests that in Florida, death warrants are wielded not only as tools of punishment but also as political weapons.
- Inadequate Legal Representation
- Curtis’ trial lawyer was unqualified to handle a capital case. Later disbarred and imprisoned for drug and alcohol-related offenses, he failed to provide the level of defense required in a death penalty trial.
In short, Curtis Windom’s case is a devastating reflection of Florida’s flawed justice system — one where politics, poor representation, and disregard for victims’ families intersect to create another irreversible tragedy.
David Pittman: Facing Execution with Intellectual Disability
Florida’s relentless pace of executions does not stop with Curtis. On September 17, David Pittman, a man with an intellectual disability, is also scheduled to be executed.
David’s trial, like Curtis’, was marked by woefully inadequate legal counsel, raising significant constitutional concerns. His execution would violate long-standing protections meant to shield individuals with intellectual disabilities from capital punishment.
This case underscores a larger pattern: Florida is rushing to execute individuals despite glaring flaws in trials, representation, and fairness.
Florida’s Accelerated Execution Schedule
Florida has already executed ten people in 2025 alone, an unprecedented pace that puts it at the center of the national debate over capital punishment. Each time, Governor DeSantis frames the act as “justice.”
But when surviving family members of victims plead for mercy, when communities speak out against the death penalty, and when attorneys expose racial and constitutional violations — it becomes clear that what Florida calls justice is, in fact, state-sanctioned cruelty cloaked in political rhetoric.
Why This Matters: The Human Cost of Executions
The stories of Kayle Bates, Curtis Windom, and David Pittman reveal a truth many Floridians already know: executions do not bring safety, peace, or healing. Instead, they perpetuate cycles of violence, retraumatize families, and erode trust in the justice system.
Most importantly, they highlight the urgent need to reexamine the death penalty in Florida and across the United States. Capital punishment is not only racially biased and unfairly applied but also risks killing those who were never given a fair chance at justice in the first place.
Take Action Now
Florida does not need to make these choices. These executions are not inevitable — they are preventable. But only if we raise our voices.
- Sign the petition urging Governor DeSantis to stop the execution of Curtis Windom.
- Support clemency efforts for David Pittman and others facing unjust death sentences.
- Share the stories and testimonies of families who oppose executions and are calling for compassion instead of more loss.
For more on this issue and to join the fight to end capital punishment, visit our death penalty resource hub.
Final Thoughts
Florida’s death penalty crisis is not about justice — it is about politics, power, and a system that values retribution over fairness. The executions of Kayle Bates, Curtis Windom, and David Pittman are not isolated cases but part of a broader, broken system that must be dismantled.
We at Sustainable Action Now believe it is time to end the cycle of violence, stop state-sanctioned killing, and pursue true justice rooted in dignity, fairness, and humanity.
