FLORIDA - A Florida death row inmate is fighting to delay his execution, arguing that his obesity and medical conditions could turn lethal injection into a form of unconstitutional punishment.
Michael Tanzi, 48, is scheduled to be executed on April 8 for the 2000 killing of Janet Acosta, who was kidnapped during her lunch break in Miami.
According to court documents, Tanzi allegedly forced Acosta into her van, drove her to the Florida Keys, strangled her, and dumped her body in a remote area.
He was later arrested in Key West while driving the victim’s vehicle.
Tanzi’s lawyers recently filed a motion with the Florida Supreme Court, claiming his morbid obesity, sciatica, and other medical conditions could interfere with the state’s lethal injection process.
They argue that sedative drugs may not work effectively on his body type, raising the risk he could remain conscious and suffer extreme pain during the procedure.
They also cited potential challenges in finding a suitable vein for injection.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office pushed back, saying Tanzi’s claims come too late and fail to prove that the procedure would violate the Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
They noted that Florida has used its current execution protocol since 2017 and that Tanzi has long known about his health issues.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Tanzi’s death warrant on March 10th.
The Florida Supreme Court has yet to decide whether the execution will proceed as scheduled.
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