- “The group highlights unresolved forensic issues. Blood, fingerprints, and hair at the scene did not match Geralds’.” – Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (FADP) denounced the execution of Mark Allen Geralds on Monday night, arguing that his case illustrates deep flaws in Florida’s death penalty system.
Geralds was executed for the 1989 murder of Tressa Pettibone. His death is the eighteenth execution in Florida this year. FADP notes this is the highest number of executions in a single year in state history, and it is also more than any other state has carried out in over a decade.
Geralds spent years fighting his conviction. He argued that the state withheld key evidence. He also said the jury never heard the full picture. After watching seventeen other men receive execution dates, he gave up his final appeals. FADP says he did so out of despair, not free choice.
The group highlights unresolved forensic issues. Blood, fingerprints, and hair at the scene did not match Geralds’. The home showed signs of a struggle. A bloody handkerchief found in the house matched neither Geralds nor Pettibone. No new DNA testing has been done on these items.
FADP also criticizes the state’s handling of Geralds’ mental health. He had a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Yet the court did not order an updated mental health evaluation. His attorneys spoke with him only briefly on the day of the hearing. They did not have time to review records or build trust. They could not assess whether he fully understood the choice to waive appeals.
The organization says these failures show a system focused on speed, not accuracy. Florida has the highest number of death row exonerations in the country, with thirty people cleared. FADP argues that executions should not proceed unless there is zero doubt.
The statement says Florida officials are using executions as a political tool. It claims the state has executed people with poor legal representation, outdated clemency reviews, and cases with non-unanimous juries. It also says courts have ignored important evidence.
“We grieve for Tressa Pettibone and those who loved her,” the group writes. “We grieve for Mark and the people who loved him.” They add that the case shows how the system can break prisoners who are still fighting to prove innocence.
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