Federal appeals court rejects Oscar Ray Bolin’s request to stay Thursday execution

Before the scheduled execution, Florida Catholics planned to gather to pray for Bolin, his victims and their families and for an end to capital punishment.

According to the Associated Press, Oscar Ray Bolin has been convicted 10 different times for three separate murders. Bolin, 53, is scheduled to be executed for the December 1986 murder of Terri Lynn Matthews, whose body was discovered by the side of a road in rural Pasco County.

Bolin’s attorney, Bjorn Brunvand of Clearwater, said he filed another motion to stay with the district court and with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. The jury found 50-year-old Bolin Jr. guilty of second-degree murder. “I’ve anticipated this, and I feel very upbeat about it”. After the death warrant was signed, Reeves took a copy nestled in flowers to her daughter’s gravesite. He was convicted of murder in all three cases, and received the death sentence for all but one.

With fewer than 24 hours before his execution, Bolin told FOX 13, “My conscience is clear”.

“I know there have been problems with the manufacturers of the drugs being sold in the U.S.”, Brunvard said.

“Florida’s just killing me”, he said as he proclaimed his innocence again.

He is serving a life sentence for the January 1986 murder of Natalie Blanche Holley.

Bolin’s attorney may still file a request with the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reeves said it doesn’t matter that Bolin is not awaiting execution in all three cases “because he only dies once”. The inmate committed suicide in late 2014, however.

Reeves said she’s prepared to consider forgiveness, if Bolin admits to his guilt in the moments before his execution. “The issue of the chemical solution being used was recently addressed by U.S. Supreme Court and it was not favorable to arguments that it is cruel and unusual”.