December 6 update: The Florida Supreme Court denied Manuel Pardo’s motion for postconviction relief, essentially his last attempt at staying his execution, scheduled for Dec. 11. Pardo’s attempt to stay his execution through a federal court also failed. Among his claims: that Florida’s lethal injection protocol is unconstitutional, that the circuit court erred in denying him public records, and that he was incompetent to stand trial. The Supreme Court rejected all claims. He also claims that 24 years on death row was cruel and unusual punishment. “No rehearing will be entertained by this Court. The mandate shall issue immediately,” the court ruled in a decision issued Dec. 4. The decision was unanimous. It is available here.
Gov. Scott Signs 5th Death Warrant, for Manuel Pardo, a Cop Turned Executioner
November 1–Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday (Oct. 30) ordered the execution of Manuel Pardo Jr., a former Sweetwater police officer convicted in the execution-style murders of nine people between January and April 1986.
Pardo, 56, is scheduled to die Dec. 11 at Florida State Prison in Starke. Pardo was convicted in 1988 after taking the stand and admitting to all nine murders. He said he should avoid culpability because he believed all the victims to be drug dealers who he said “have no right to live,” according to court records. A jury found him guilty and recommended the death penalty in each case, by votes ranging from eight-to-four to ten-to-two. Florida is among the few states that does not require a unanimous verdict for a death sentence.
The sentencing judge found that each murder was carried out in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without a moral or legal justification. The judge also found that one purported drug informant was killed to hinder or disrupt the exercise of a governmental function and that another killing was committed for monetary gain.
The prosecution during Pardo’s trial cited the murderer’s diary, which detailed the killings, and cited Nazi memorabilia collected from Pardo’s home, including evidence of his anti-Semitism, his admiration for Hitler, and his belief that Jews and blacks should be exterminated.
Among the victims were alleged drug dealers, a confidential informant and two women who allegedly owed Pardo money, prosecutors claimed. Against his lawyer’s advice, Pardo took the stand, saying he was not after money but instead wanted to rid the world of drug dealers and their accomplices.
The individuals Pardo murdered were: Mario Amador, Roberto Alfonso, Luis Robledo, Ulpiano Ledo, Sara Musa, Fara Quintero, Ramon Alvero, Daisy Ricard and Michael Millot.
Scott announced the death warrant Tuesday evening. If carried out, Pardo would be the fifth condemned prisoner to be executed since Scott took office in January 2011.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court postponed the execution of John Ferguson following a series of last minute appeals. During his 1988 trial, prosecutors painted Pardo as a former highway patrolman and suburban Miami police officer who became a drug dealer.
At one point, according to press accounts, “Pardo had $3,530 in his prison canteen account, affording him Cuban espresso coffee, a radio with headphones, shampoo, potato chips, candy bars and shorts, among other things,” Barbara Ford, a woman who had been scammed while he was in prison said.
As of today, Pardo is one of 405 inmates on death row in Florida. All but five are men. They include from Flagler County: Louis Gaskin, David Snelgrove, Cornelius Baker and William Gregory.
Two inmates have been executed in 2012–David Alan Gore and Robert Waterhouse. Two were executed last year–Oba Chandler and Manuel Valle. The full list of Florida’s 73 executions since 1976 is here.
Lulz Daily says
Hahahaha!! Oh man! For a second there I thought Gov Scott had sentenced himself to death. Whew! Close call. Hopefully he doesn’t get any nightmares from executing his body double
Anonymous says
405 inmates on death row in Florida. If we execute all of these criminals we could save millions of dollars of taxpayer money. And we could save some jail space for all the criminal politicians. More executions, less FREE room & board for the sub-human animals in this state.
PCer says
It is less expensive for the government to give them life without parole than to put them on death row.
Reinhold Schlieper says
Another powerful reason for abolishing the death penalty! People begin to believe in its justice and begin using it themselves. A judicial system that truly attempts to improve society by improving the culprits could not possibly inspire such wrong-headedness among its citizens as killing-justice. I suspect indeed that this person took his clues from the State’s wrong-headedness.
Geezer says
Executions by the state are just another form of murder.
Lock them up, throw away the key.
Leave the executions to China.
Nancy N. says
The death penalty is like spanking your kid to punish them for hitting their sibling. Talk about conflicting messages….we kill people to send the message that killing is wrong?
Damon says
Execution is to good for these sub-human scum. They should be tortured by electric shock and have their limbs amputated . Feed them rat meat and maggots once a week. Make them drink their own urine for hydration. We spend to much money and kindness on these walking sub-humans. Enough of paying for keeping them alive for 24 years. Off with his arms, then his legs. Dunk him in a vat of acid every day !!!!!