Florida has carried out the execution of a death row inmate more than three decades after he killed a police officer during a traffic stop. The case, which dates back to 1991, remained one of the longest-running capital punishment cases in the state. Family members of the slain officer say the execution finally brings a sense of justice after waiting 35 years.
Florida Executes Man for 1991 Murder of Police Officer
Billy Leon Kearse was executed by lethal injection on March 3 for the 1991 murder of Fort Pierce police officer Danny Parrish. Officials pronounced Kearse dead at 6:24 p.m. Eastern Time.
The execution marks the fifth execution in the United States this year and the third carried out in Florida. State officials have recently increased the pace of executions as they work to reduce the state’s death row population, which currently includes about 250 inmates.
Supreme Court Rejected Last-Minute Appeals
In the hours leading up to the execution, Kearse’s attorneys argued that he should not be executed due to mental incapacity and claimed he did not receive a fair trial.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected those arguments shortly before the execution was scheduled to take place.
With the appeals denied, Florida officials moved forward with the execution as planned.
Officer Danny Parrish Killed During Traffic Stop
The case began on January 18, 1991, when Officer Danny Parrish, a 29-year-old member of the Fort Pierce Police Department and an Army sergeant, pulled over a driver traveling the wrong way on a one-way street.
The driver was 18-year-old Billy Leon Kearse, who already had a lengthy criminal history.
According to court records, Kearse repeatedly gave Parrish false names because he feared being sent back to jail for violating parole. When Parrish attempted to arrest him for driving without a license, the situation escalated.
Kearse later told investigators that he believed the officer was reaching for his gun. He grabbed the weapon first and began shooting.
Authorities said Kearse shot Parrish more than a dozen times, including several rounds that struck the officer’s bulletproof vest.
During questioning, Kearse admitted that Parrish pleaded for his life, reportedly telling him, “Come on, man, don’t do it.”
Prosecutors Called the Killing Cold-Blooded
During court proceedings, prosecutors described the killing as a brutal and deliberate act.
They argued that after Parrish fell to the ground, Kearse continued shooting him multiple times.
Florida State Attorney Tom Bakkedahl later described the attack as a cold-blooded execution of a law enforcement officer.
Kearse’s defense attorney argued that the murder was not planned in advance and that the situation escalated suddenly during the arrest.
Officer Remembered as Dedicated Public Servant
Danny Parrish was widely respected in his community.
Originally from Indiana, he later moved to Florida with his family. Before becoming a police officer, he worked as a mechanic for the Fort Pierce Police Department.
Parrish decided to join the force after two local officers were killed in an ambush in 1987. Friends and family said he wanted to protect the community and make a difference.
At the time of his death, Parrish had only been a full-time officer for a few years and was preparing for deployment to Operation Desert Storm with the U.S. Army.
Wife Waited Decades for Justice
Parrish’s wife, Mirtha Busbin, said the execution ended a long and painful wait for justice.
She explained that she and Parrish had been trying to start a family when he was killed.
Busbin was only 17 when she met Parrish, and the two married shortly after they began dating.
She later said the loss changed her life forever and that her husband never had the chance to become the father he hoped to be.
Memorials Honor Fallen Officer
The death of Danny Parrish deeply affected the Fort Pierce community.
At the time, Florida Governor Lawton Chiles visited the city to offer condolences to the family.
Today, a life-sized statue of Parrish stands outside the Fort Pierce Police Department, and a nearby park has been named in his honor.
More Executions Scheduled This Month
Several additional executions are scheduled across the United States this month.
Texas plans to execute Cedric Ricks on March 11, while Alabama is scheduled to execute Charles Burton on March 12.
Florida also has two more executions planned this month, continuing the state’s increased use of capital punishment.
