Jacksonville man on death row for 30 years set to be executed

Mark Asay, who was was convicted of killing two men in 1987 in downtown Jacksonville and has been on  death row, is set to be executed August 24.

Asay's execution will be the first in Florida since 2016.

Asay, a known white supremacist, killed two men almost 30 years ago and has been fighting his death sentence ever since. Now, a local group is asking that his life, be spared

The diocese of St. Augustine will be holding several vigils for Asay while he is executed.

Kathleen Bagg, the director of communications for the diocese, says the does not believe in the death penalty--not even for people like Asay, who have been convicted of egregious crimes.

“We are praying for society, and hoping one day that Florida and the United States will one day get rid of the death penalty,” Bagg said.

Asay will be put to death by lethal injection. It’s the first execution in Florida in 18 months. According to reports,

Florida will be using a new cocktail of drugs and Asay will be given three injections during his execution.

The first and most critical of the three is the one being replaced.

“I think each time an execution occurs it chips away at our humanity as a society and vengeance doesn’t help anybody,” Bagg  said.

Cox Media Group