Ron McAndrew expresses remorse over past death penalty executions

Ron McAndrew, the former director of Florida State Prison until 1998, has become a vocal opponent of the death penalty. At 88 years old, McAndrew expresses deep remorse for his role in overseeing the executions of eight inmates, including three via electric chair in Florida and several others via lethal injection in Texas.

McAndrew describes the psychological toll of his former position, recounting memories of witnessing executions and the belief that one of the men he helped execute may have been innocent. He also noted a specific instance where an execution went wrong, resulting in an inmate's head catching fire.

His shift in perspective comes as Florida continues to carry out frequent executions. Since the beginning of 2025, Florida has executed more individuals than any other state. The state is currently proceeding with the execution of 77-year-old Curtis Beasley, whose lawyers argued that his declining mental health should preclude the punishment, though the Florida Supreme Court recently rejected those objections.