Scheduled Execution of Kayle Bates in Florida

Kayle Bates, a 67-year-old man convicted of kidnapping and murdering Janet White in 1982, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection on Tuesday evening at Florida State Prison near Starke. The execution follows a death warrant signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. This marks Florida’s 10th execution of the year, setting a record for most executions in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. Two additional executions are planned within the next month.

Bates was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted sexual battery. His crime involved kidnapping White from her workplace, taking her into nearby woods, attempting to assault her, then stabbing her to death and removing a diamond ring. Legal efforts by Bates’s attorneys include appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court, as well as a federal lawsuit alleging discriminatory processes in the approval of death warrants. The federal case was dismissed, and the Florida Supreme Court rejected Bates’s claims, citing his lengthy legal history.

Florida continues to lead the nation in executions this year, with other states like Texas and South Carolina each planning to execute four individuals. So far, 28 individuals have been executed nationwide in 2025.

Additional scheduled executions in Florida include Curtis Windom on August 28, convicted of three murders in 1992, and David Pittman on September 17, convicted of multiple murders and arson in 1990. Florida employs a three-drug protocol for executions, involving a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug to stop the heart.