THE SUSPECTS, STOLE MONEY AND ITEMS FROM HIS CAR. >> AND MORE BREAKING NEWS HERE AT NOON. A CONVICTED KILLER WAYNE WILSON’S LEGAL TEAM WAS IN TALLAHASSEE THIS MORNING TRYING TO UNDO THE CONVICTED KILLER’S DEATH SENTENCE. THE 2019 MURDERS OF 2 CAPE CORAL WOMEN. >> WILSONS ATTORNEYS WERE GOING TO CHALLENGE HOW THE STATE SENTENCED AM ARGUING NEW DEATH PENALTY RULES SHOULDN’T APPLY TO AN OLD CASE. GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER SAMANTHA ROMERO LISTENED IN AS WILSON’S DEFENSE TEAM AND THE STATE WENT HEAD TO HEAD THIS MORNING. SAMANTHA. >> WILSON’S LEGAL TEAM WAS SUPPOSED TO CHALLENGE WILSON’S DEATH PENALTY SENTENCE. BUT THE ARGUMENTS WERE CUT SHORT WHEN WILSON’S ATTORNEY WAIVED THE WHITE FLAG SAYING RECENT RULINGS ALREADY SHUT DOWN EVERY ARGUMENT HE PLANNED TO MAKE. >> IT WAS OVER ALMOST AS SOON AS IT STARTED. COUNSEL FOR WADE WILSON ONLY SPEAKING FOR ABOUT 90 SECONDS IN FRONT OF THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT ON THE WILSON WADE WILSON’S COUNSEL, MICHAEL OF HERMAN CAIN TO THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT THURSDAY MORNING, KNOWING THE GROUND HAD ALREADY SHIFTED LITERALLY LESS JUST OVER 30 DAYS YOU ISSUED AN OPINION ADDRESSING ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT FREE. >> THEY ARGUED WILSON’S CASE NEEDED A UNANIMOUS DECISION FROM THE JURY TO SENTENCE HIM TO DEATH IN THE FLORIDA’S NEW LAW SAYING ONLY 8 OUT OF 12 JURORS NEED TO AGREE SHOULD NOT APPLY TO THIS CASE. WILSON GOT TO GO BACK IN FAVOR OF DEATH. 93 IN FAVOR CHRISTINE’S MURDER AND 10 TO 2 FOR DIANE’S. BUT IN DECEMBER, THE FLORIDA SUPREME COURT ISSUED 2 MAJOR OPINIONS FOR OTHER CASES, THE COURT UPHELD FLORIDA’S NEW DEATH PENALTY LAW ENACTED IN 2023. THOSE RULINGS UNDER CUT EVERY ARGUMENT OF HERMAN PLAN TO MAKE THE NEXT STEP FOR MY CLIENT AND PROBABLY FROM MR. HUNT IS GOING TO BE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT TO CONSIDER THAT THE ARGUMENTS FINISHED IN JUST 3 MINUTES. STUNNING EVEN FOR THE JUSTICES WHO LET OUT A LAUGH AND SURPRISE TO THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT USUALLY DOESN’T GO >> NOW THERE WERE NO QUESTIONS FROM THE JUSTICES CAN ON GULF COAST NEWS TO LET YOU KNOW, WILSON’S LEGAL TEAM DOES TAKE THIS CASE UP TO T
Wade Wilson’s legal team halts death penalty challenge in Tallahassee
Wade Wilson’s attorneys abruptly ended their challenge to his death penalty sentence at the Florida Supreme Court, citing recent rulings that undermined their arguments
Updated: 1:08 PM EST Feb 5, 2026
Wade Wilson’s legal team appeared at the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee Thursday morning to challenge his death penalty sentence for the 2019 murders of two Cape Coral women, but the arguments were cut short when Wilson’s attorney acknowledged recent rulings had already shut down every argument he planned to make.Michael Ufferman, Wilson’s counsel, spoke for only about 90 seconds.He noted that the court had issued an opinion rejecting an ex post facto challenge in a case just over 30 days ago, addressing all the issues raised in his brief.”I mean, that’s literally less than or just over 30 days ago, you’ve issued an opinion addressing all of the issues that I’m raising in my brief,” Ufferman said.Wilson’s legal team argued that his case required a unanimous jury decision to sentence him to death for the 2019 killing, and Florida’s new 2023 law, which allows a death sentence with only 8 out of 12 jurors agreeing, should not apply. Wilson received a vote in favor of death, 9 to 3 for Kristine’s murder and 10 to 2 for Diane’s.In December, the Florida Supreme Court issued two major opinions for other cases, Michael James Jackson v. State of Florida, and Michael H. Hunt v. State of Florida, upholding Florida’s new death penalty law enacted in 2023. These rulings undercut every argument Ufferman planned to make. “The next step for my client, and probably for Mr. Hunt, is going to be the United States Supreme Court to consider that, so otherwise, I again, I love a good intellectual argument, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to beat my head against a brick wall,” Ufferman said.The state, represented by Assistant Attorney General Rick Buchwalter, offered no argument of its own and asked the court to affirm. “I really don’t have any argument to make,” Buchwalter said.The arguments concluded in just three minutes, surprising even the justices, who let out a laugh in response. “Thank you to those in the audience that usually doesn’t go this way,” the justices said, followed by laughter.There were no questions from the justices, and Wilson’s legal team is considering taking the case to the United States Supreme Court.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —
Wade Wilson’s legal team appeared at the Florida Supreme Court in Tallahassee Thursday morning to challenge his death penalty sentence for the 2019 murders of two Cape Coral women, but the arguments were cut short when Wilson’s attorney acknowledged recent rulings had already shut down every argument he planned to make.
Michael Ufferman, Wilson’s counsel, spoke for only about 90 seconds.
He noted that the court had issued an opinion rejecting an ex post facto challenge in a case just over 30 days ago, addressing all the issues raised in his brief.
“I mean, that’s literally less than or just over 30 days ago, you’ve issued an opinion addressing all of the issues that I’m raising in my brief,” Ufferman said.
Wilson’s legal team argued that his case required a unanimous jury decision to sentence him to death for the 2019 killing, and Florida’s new 2023 law, which allows a death sentence with only 8 out of 12 jurors agreeing, should not apply.
Wilson received a vote in favor of death, 9 to 3 for Kristine’s murder and 10 to 2 for Diane’s.
In December, the Florida Supreme Court issued two major opinions for other cases, Michael James Jackson v. State of Florida, and Michael H. Hunt v. State of Florida, upholding Florida’s new death penalty law enacted in 2023.
These rulings undercut every argument Ufferman planned to make.
“The next step for my client, and probably for Mr. Hunt, is going to be the United States Supreme Court to consider that, so otherwise, I again, I love a good intellectual argument, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense to beat my head against a brick wall,” Ufferman said.
The state, represented by Assistant Attorney General Rick Buchwalter, offered no argument of its own and asked the court to affirm.
“I really don’t have any argument to make,” Buchwalter said.
The arguments concluded in just three minutes, surprising even the justices, who let out a laugh in response.
“Thank you to those in the audience that usually doesn’t go this way,” the justices said, followed by laughter.
There were no questions from the justices, and Wilson’s legal team is considering taking the case to the United States Supreme Court.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.