Florida could end unanimous jury requirement for executions

Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers have proposed legislation making it easier to send convicts to death row by eliminating a unanimous jury requirement in capital punishment sentencing — a response to anger from victims' families following a verdict sparing a school shooter from execution

The proposal comes after a divided 9-3 jury spared Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter Nikolas Cruz in November from capital punishment for killing 17 at the school in 2018 The Parkland school shooter instead received a life sentence

The Cruz decision outraged many and is likely the catalyst for Florida's move to drop its unanimity requirement for capital punishment

Republican legislators, at the governor's urging, introduced legislation to allow the jury to choose the death penalty with only eight of the 12 jurors in favor, which would make Florida the only state to use that standard

Only three states of the 27 that impose the death penalty do not require unanimity Alabama allows a 10-2 decision and Missouri and Indiana let a judge decide when there is a divided jury

Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina died in the massacre, said changing the requirement from unanimity to 84 would prevent “ an activist juror from denying the victims' families justice ”

“The people subject to the death penalty are already convicted murderers, they are not people picked off the street,” Montalto said DeSantis, a Republican expected to launch a 2024 White House bid in the late spring or early summer, has not signed death warrants at the same rate as his predecessors, but said Cruz deserved capital punishment and he would have expedited Cruz's execution if given the chance

With Florida's legislative session approaching, DeSantis advocated for the change as part of a larger criminal justice legislative package, described by the governor as a counter to the

Miami-Dade Black Economic Development Agency accepting applicants for business grants

Amid inflation and recession anxieties, Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust (MDEAT) is disseminating $10,000 grants to 25 successful owners of registered for-profit or not-for-profit enterprises operating in Miami-Dade County

MDEAT, an agency committed to ensuring Black residents participate in Miami-Dade County's economic growth, is accepting applications for its Small Minority Black Business Capitalization Grant Program until Thursday, February 23

Recipients may use the funds to invest in business equipment, marketing, technology, and other tools for business expansion Applications can be submitted electronically and in person at MDEAT's main offices at 601 NW 1st Court, Suite 2132, near downtown Miami Program qualifications and applications are available online

“Access to capital remains a critical issue for Black business owners While other entities are cutting back, Miami-Dade Economic Advocacy Trust seized an opportunity to increase its investment in Black-owned and led enterprises,” said William “Bill” Diggs, MDEAT's executive director “Black- and minority-owned enterprises remain some of the nation's highgrowth firms despite contending with unique challenges and systemic barriers MDEAT's business grant program aims to infuse capital to help break barriers to economic prosperity ”

The agency increased the grant to $10,000 over the past two years

MDEAT's latest developments reflect the organization's aggressive implementation of its strategic plan to help decrease socialeconomic disparities in the county's targeted urban areas. MDEAT's Small Business Capitalization Grant program issued 16 grants for $2,500 two years ago for a total of $40,000 Last year, the agency distributed 16 grants for $5,000 for a total of $80,000 This year, the agency increased grants to $10,000 and expanded recipients to 25, representing a $250,000 investment Over the past two years, these commitments represent a nearly 44 percent increase in grant recipients, a 120 percent growth in grant amount, and a sixfold increase in the total grant investment “MDEAT's business grant program allows us to invest in revitalizing the county's target urban areas,” said Robert Parson, MDEAT economic development manager “We aim to help businesses scale their operations and grow their ability to hire employees and serve our community ”

For more information about MDEAT's Small Minority Black Business Capitalization Grant Program, please contact Robert Parson, Economic Development Manager, at (305) 375-5610

“soft on crime” policies in Democrat-led states

“I don't think justice was served in that case If you ' re going to have capital, you have to administer it to the worst of the worst crimes,” DeSantis said of the Cruz case, adding that it “should be the vast majority” of jurors for a death sentence

For decades, Florida had not required unanimity in capital punishment, allowing a judge to impose capital punishment as long as a majority of jurors were in favor of the penalty But in 2016 the U S Supreme Court threw out state law, saying it allowed judges too much discretion

Caribbean Artists to Showcase their work at The Gaze Africana Exhibition

Several Caribbean artists from Jamaican, Cuba, Haitian and Sint Maarten will feature on the Gaze Africana Exhibition in North Miami AfriKin Art in collaboration with the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency (NMCRA), presents The Gaze Africana – a contemporary fine art exhibition showcasing African excellence This highly anticipated exhibit opened on, January 15 during MLK weekend and as part of Black History Month 2023 The Gaze Africana will be on display through February 28 AfriKin Art: The Gaze Africana features a distinctive line-up of international Black continues on B4 – Gaze Africana Exhibition