Full Breakdown
Florida Executes Inmate Who Murdered Cellmate to Secure Death Row
By Drooid · · How we work
Robertson’s Execution and the Crime Behind It
James Robertson, 63, was put to death by lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke on Tuesday. Robertson had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the December 2008 strangling of fellow inmate Frank Hart at Charlotte Correctional Institution, north of Fort Myers. He waived the penalty phase, all post-conviction appeals, and any final appeals to the Florida or U.S. Supreme Courts.
Background & Context
Robertson entered prison in 1980 at age 17 after convictions for burglary and assault. Over the decades his sentence grew through additional convictions for weapons possession, battery, escape attempts, and other offenses. Hart, the victim, had been incarcerated since 2003 for a sexual-battery conviction.
Governor Ron DeSanti’s administration has overseen a surge in Florida executions. The state carried out 19 executions in 2025—the highest annual total for any Florida governor since capital punishment was reinstated in 1976. In 2026, Robertson’s death marked the 17th execution, with two more scheduled later in the year.
Data & Statistics
- Executions in Florida, 2025: 19 (state record)
- Executions in Florida, 2026 (to date): 17, with William Reaves slated for October 20 and Jesse Guardado for November 5 (both scheduled).
- U.S. executions, 2025: 47 total; Florida accounted for more than half of the 30 executions reported nationwide so far in 2026.
- Death-warrant withdrawal: Governor DeSantis withdrew William Lee Thompson’s death warrant on October 8 (first such withdrawal in his tenure).
Official Statements & Responses
- The Florida Department of Corrections confirmed that all Florida executions use a three-drug lethal-injection protocol: a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a drug that stops the heart.
- Attorney Bri Lacy, representing William Lee Thompson, said: “Mr. Thompson suffers from dementia and his health is failing — both of which were gravely concerning with an impending execution,” — Bri Lacy
Verbatim Quote
- “Mr. Thompson suffers from dementia and his health is failing — both of which were gravely concerning with an impending execution,” — Bri Lacy
What’s Next
- October 20: Execution of William Reaves, 77, for the 1986 killing of a sheriff’s deputy.
- November 5: Execution of Jesse Guardado, 64, for a 2004 robbery-murder committed to obtain drug money.
These scheduled executions will determine whether Florida matches its 2025 record of 19 executions before the end of 2026. The state’s aggressive use of capital punishment continues to draw national scrutiny, especially in light of recent high-profile incidents such as the failed lethal-injection attempt on Tennessee inmate Christa Pike on September 30.
