Pamela Colloff / Photo by Peter Yang
In 2026, Florida has already executed 10 people, more prisoners than every other state in the country combined. Last year, the state executed 19 people. Next week, two executions could happen on the same day.
The state also leads the country in the number of death row exonerees.
Among states executing prisoners, Florida is unique in that its governor has sole discretion to set execution dates and who will be executed.
Pamela Colloff’s new book “Catch the Devil” is partly set in Pinellas County, and tells the true story of Paul Skalnik, a con man whose snitching put four men, including Jim Dailey—a Vietnam veteran, Skalnik accused of killing a 14-year-old hitchhiker—on death row.
She spoke to WMNF about death row and the book. She will be in St. Petersburg next Monday, July 27, to talk about the work with readers who’ll meet the author at Coastal Creative.
In the second half of the show, we spoke to Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon who is running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate against U.S. Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman.
Listen to the show via Apple Music, TuneIn, and Spotify.