Born November 11, 1966, Cole was convicted of the brutal murder of John Edwards in Marion County, Florida. On February 18, 1994, Cole and accomplice William Paul attacked Edwards and his sister Pam during a camping trip in Ocala National Forest. Cole restrained Edwards before fatally assaulting him, causing death by a slashed throat and skull fractures. Cole and Paul also sexually assaulted Pam before abandoning her. They were arrested on February 21, 1994.
Cole was sentenced to death on December 20, 1995, for first-degree murder, with additional sentences for kidnapping, robbery, and sexual battery. His subsequent appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and U.S. Supreme Court were denied. Despite numerous attempts to overturn his conviction and sentence, including motions for post-conviction relief and habeas corpus petitions, Cole's death sentence has been upheld.
" The instant case is literally a matter of life or death, because once the State has executed Cole, he will not have any recourse," a portion of his Reply Brief of the Appellant from August 19, 2024, asserts.
One significant aspect of Cole’s appeal is the recently enacted Dozier School Victim Compensation Program, which recognizes abuse suffered by boys at the notorious Florida institution. Cole contends that his abuse at Dozier influenced his actions leading to his death sentence. His legal team argues that this new acknowledgment of trauma could have impacted his original sentencing, potentially resulting in a life sentence instead.
Additionally, Cole’s defense challenges Florida’s lethal injection procedures, citing his Parkinson's disease as a factor that could cause extreme suffering during execution. Although his illness was known since 2017, Cole’s team claims that evolving execution methods render this challenge relevant now that his execution date has been set.
As the execution date approaches, Cole’s attorneys have requested a stay to allow the courts time to consider these complex issues. It remains uncertain whether Cole will be granted an opportunity to present his case or if Florida will move forward with the execution.
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