Rick Scott calls David Alan Gore's Crimes 'Heinous'

There will be no stay in the execution of David Alan Gore by Gov. Rick Scott as has been requested by the Florida Catholic Conference.

Scott told reporters Thursday in the Capitol that he is praying for Gore, Gores family and Gores victims, but that he is upholding the law of the land and doesnt take signing the death warrant lightly.

His crimes were heinous, he was convicted and he was sentenced to death, Scott said of Gore on Thursday.

Gore is to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison in Stark for the death of 17-year-old Lynn Elliott nearly three decades ago in Vero Beach.

Gov. Rick Scott signed the warrant for Gore on Feb. 28.

The conference on Tuesday sent a letter to Scott saying that the state should use life sentences without the possibility of parole instead of the death penalty.

When we respond to murder by killing that in essence sanctions violence, the conference stated in a letter to Scott. So our rationale and our reasons are not so much the cost or the uncertainty. Its more a question of whether or not it should be our policy to use the death penalty when we have an alternative.