By David Lohr

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October 25, 2006

(Crime Library)   — 

This afternoon I wrote about Jeffrey Lundgren's execution and now less than eight hours later I am writing about another execution.  The only real difference being that this time, rather than a self-professed prophet, the criminal is a confessed serial killer.  In fact, aside from Ted Bundy, Danny Harold Rolling, the so-called Gainesville Ripper, is one of the most infamous killers the state of Florida has ever seen. 

For those of you not familiar with Rolling's crimes, I suggest you read the Crime Library story Savage Weekend, by Fiona Steel. In her story, Steel describes how Rolling brutally murdered and mutilated five young students in the university town of Gainesville, Florida in the early 1990's, going so far as to decapitate one victim, whose head he carefully positioned on a shelf for maximum shock value.  After his capture, he pled guilty to his crimes and was sentenced to death in 1994 for each of the five killings.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed Rolling's death warrant on September 23rd.  Rolling's attorney appealed echoing an argument that has been gaining momentum across the country that lethal injection violates the constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment.

Convicted killers Arthur Rutherford and Clarence Hill had both previously made related arguments to no avail.  Following suit with their prior decisions, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Rolling's appeal and his execution was set to move ahead as planned.

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See Crime Library Feature Story on Danny Rolling, The Gainsville Ripper

Contact  David Lohr at           pa_crime_writer@velocity.net

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