Tag Archives: Louis Pena

Barring a stay, the state of Florida will execute Manuel Valle tomorrow – September 28 – at 4:00 p.m. Valle, now 61, was convicted of killing Coral Gables police officer Louis Pena 33 years ago.

As officer Pena’s daughter noted, her father gave his life doing his job. I give thanks for his service and mourn his death. My prayers are with his family and friends.

But killing Manuel Valle will not bring officer Pena back. It will be an act of revenge. It will further tear and wound our society.

Opponents of the execution cite several reasons for Florida Governor Rick Scott to see that Mr. Valle receives clemency:

• Mr. Valle is 61 years old; he has been on death row for 33 years – more than half his life – and has never been offered a meaningful clemency process.
• His execution will use new lethal injection cocktail that has not been medically tested or approved, putting him at risk of grave pain and suffering.
• The length of time spent on death row combined with the lack of clemency process and the experimental and potentially torturous execution procedure makes this a serious violation of Mr. Valle’s fundamental human rights.

The death of any person diminishes us all. Many deaths cannot be prevented. Deaths that result from state executions can.

For these reasons, I pray for Manuel Valle and all who mourn for him.

And I have contacted Governor Rick Scott. I invite you to do so as well: