Florida
Michigan State starter tossed for targeting hit on Florida Atlantic QB
EAST LANSING – Michigan State will have to finish its season opener shorthanded on defense.
Starting safety Malik Spencer was disqualified for targeting on the first play of the second quarter of Friday’s game against Florida Atlantic with the Spartans leading 2-0.
Spencer, a junior, was whistled for a high hit on Florida Atlantic quarterback Cam Fancher. It came with Fancher sliding after scrambling for 15 yards and resulted in his helmet being knocked off.
Fancher was replaced by Tyriq Starks for one play before returning to the game. He was promptly intercepted by Angelo Grose on third down.
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Florida
Scattered thunderstorms to continue through Labor Day weekend in South Florida
![Scattered thunderstorms to continue through Labor Day weekend in South Florida Scattered thunderstorms to continue through Labor Day weekend in South Florida](https://res.cloudinary.com/graham-media-group/image/upload/f_auto/q_auto/c_thumb,w_700/v1/media/gmg/NESXAJGJQBE6THWMWEBZF23ZVA.jpg?_a=DATAfRfiZAA0)
PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – Keep the rain gear handy this Labor Day weekend in South Florida.
It may not rain continuously the entire weekend, but the chance of rain is higher with a 60% chance on Saturday and 70% on Sunday.
As daytime heating picks up, storms look to be shifting inland towards the interior areas of South Florida. The high moisture content could spark some flooding concerns.
There is an expansive mid-level ridge over the central United States and a developing upper-level low just east of Central Florida.
Also, a cooler air aloft remains in place across the region. It could help spark more thunderstorms with cloud-to-cloud lightning.
A rip current statement was in effect Friday afternoon until 8 p.m. for coastal areas in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The dangerous high rip current risk extended to coastal Palm Beach County.
For an hour-by-hour forecast and a live radar, visit this page. For the latest on local weather, sign up for free alerts.
WEATHER AUTHORITY: Noon report covers Talking Tropics and the forecast
Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Florida
Recap: After 30 years on death row, Loran Cole executed for FSU student’s murder
![Recap: After 30 years on death row, Loran Cole executed for FSU student’s murder Recap: After 30 years on death row, Loran Cole executed for FSU student’s murder](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2023/12/15/PTAL/71931065007-execution-3.jpg?auto=webp&crop=3887,2187,x0,y404&format=pjpg&width=1200)
The 57-year-old man sentenced to death in the murder of a Florida State University student in 1994 is scheduled to be executed at 6 p.m. – more than 30 years after the crime.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Loran K. Cole on July 29. Cole will be put to death by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison in Raiford, Union County.
The Tallahassee Democrat’s Elena Barrera, the newspaper’s breaking and trending news reporter, is covering the execution today.
Check back here throughout the afternoon and evening for updates:
After Cole’s execution, Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty released a statement calling his death by lethal injection “particularly calculated, and particularly hypocritical.”
“In Florida, the governor has the sole discretion on when, whether, and for whom to set an execution,” it said. “The process is shrouded in mystery and secrecy. We have no way of knowing how or why Loran was chosen, and no way of knowing who might be next.”
The statement also said the group tried to take more than 7,000 signed petitions to spare Cole to the governor, but its members “were told that due to construction, there is no way for the public to access the Governor’s office. Not even a makeshift reception area to allow Floridians’ voices to be heard.”
It went on: “A selection process shrouded in secrecy. No way for the public to make its voice heard. Key officials unavailable the week we are killing a human being. This is no system of orderly justice.”
The full statement is here.
Thirty years after his crime, Loran K. Cole has been executed at Florida State Prison for the 1994 murder of John Edwards, an 18-year-old Florida State University student.
His death came after a last-ditch legal effort to prevent his execution based on alleged abuse he suffered at a notorious and now-shuttered boys’ reform school, as well as health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease.
He was declared dead at 6:15 p.m. by a prison doctor. He had no last words, saying “no, sir” when asked.
Cole’s body appeared to tremble for several minutes as he lay strapped to the gurney.
There were 19 witnesses, two guards, four Corrections Department communications staff members, and seven journalists who observed Cole’s death.
Reporter Elena Barrera, who is covering tonight’s execution for the USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida, spent weeks talking to loved ones and sifting through the Tallahassee Democrat’s archives and court records for a special report on the impact a savage murder and capital punishment has on those left behind.
Friends and fraternity brothers of John Edwards, who was brutally murdered, spoke about all the missed moments they would have shared together from weddings to promotions.
Barrett Atwood said he didn’t process the pain for years. But one by one, everyone started to pick up the pieces and do the one thing they wished John could do — live.
Atwood became an attorney. One brother started a wealth management practice. Another became an ordained minister. Still another became a Marine.
The tragedy “just taught me a lot about life,” Atwood said. “And I’m sorry John had to lose his life to do that.”
Barrera also spoke with convicted killer Loran Cole’s loved ones, who are still trying to separate the man from the monster portrayed in court records.
In the eyes of the state of Florida and a jury of his peers, Cole is a murderer. But to his ex-wife, he was her head-over-heels first love. To his son, he is the father he wishes he could’ve grown up with. To his prison pen pal, he is a cherished friend.
Read the two-part series here.
Cole woke up at 6 a.m. Thursday morning and has “remained compliant” since, said Florida Department of Corrections spokesman Ted Veerman.
He declined a meeting with a spiritual adviser but was joined by his son, Ryan Cole, and his pen-pal friend of 4 years, Beth Evans, for his last meal: Pizza, ice cream, M&Ms and soda.
Veerman said Cole was offered a sedative, but he “cannot confirm whether or not he took it.”
An inmate’s family members are not permitted to witness his execution.
“We’ve extended an invitation to the victim’s family,” Veerman added. “At this point, no one is slated to attend, but I’ll have a statement that I will be reading … after the execution.”
Two of the last few executions in Florida were Tallahassee-related cases:
On Oct. 3, 2023, a drifter from Tallahassee who killed two women in the Florida Panhandle during a crime spree in 1996 was executed.
Michael Duane Zack, 54, was sentenced to death in the 1996 Escambia County murder of Ravonne Smith during a crime spree that also included killing a woman, Laura Rosillo, in Okaloosa County.
And on Feb. 23, 2023, Donald Dillbeck, 59, was executed for the 1990 murder of Faye Vann outside a Tallahassee mall.
Dillbeck was the first prisoner executed in Florida since 2019, after a three-and-a-half year hiatus brought on by COVID-19. He was the 100th prisoner executed since the death penalty was reinstated in Florida in 1975, according to the Department of Corrections.
Dillbeck’s last words also were aimed at DeSantis.
“I know I hurt people when I was young. I really messed up,” said Dillbeck, 59, as he was strapped to a gurney in the Florida State Prison death chamber. “But I know Ron DeSantis has done a lot worse. He’s taken a lot from a lot of people. I speak for all men, women and children. He’s put his foot on our necks.”
The Florida Department of Corrections lays out the detailed protocol for a convict’s execution day. Its guidance includes in part:
- “A food service director, or his/her designee, will personally prepare and serve the inmate’s last meal. The inmate will be allowed to request specific food and non-alcoholic drink to the extent such food and drink costs forty dollars ($40) or less, is available at the institution, and is approved by the food service director.”
- “The inmate will be escorted by one or more team members to the shower area, where a team member of the same gender will supervise the showering of the inmate. Immediately thereafter, the inmate will be returned to his/her assigned cell and issued appropriate clothing. A designated member of the execution team will obtain and deliver the clothing to the inmate.”
- “A designated execution team member will ensure that the telephone in the execution chamber is fully functional and that there is a fully-charged, fully-functional cellular telephone in the execution chamber. Telephone calls will be placed from the telephone to ensure proper operation. Additionally, a member of the team shall ensure that the two-way audio communication system and the visual monitoring equipment arc fully functional.
- “The only staff authorized to be in the execution chamber area are members of the execution team and others as approved by the team warden, including two monitors from FDLE. A designated execution team member, in the presence of one or more additional team members and an independent observer from FDLE, will prepare the lethal injection chemicals as follows, ensuring that each syringe used in the lethal injection process is appropriately labeled….”
Cole, then 27, and William Paul, then 20, befriended John Edwards and his sister, who planned to spend a weekend camping in the Ocala National Forest in February 1994. John was an 18-year-old student at FSU at the time.
Cole and Paul later attacked both siblings, according to court filings: Edwards died that night from a slashed throat and three blows to the head, causing a fractured skull. The sister was raped but got away.
“The men who committed these crimes are damnable animals,” then-Marion County Sheriff Ken Ergle said at the time, according to news reports.
In 1995, Cole and Paul were convicted of first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon. Cole also was found guilty of two counts of sexual battery.
Cole was sentenced to death and Paul was sentenced to life in prison. A state Corrections Department database on Thursday showed Paul is being held at Cross City Correctional Institution in Dixie County.
By 6 p.m. ET today, Cole will be strapped to a gurney in the death chamber at Florida State Prison, where, if all goes as planned, a three-drug cocktail will enter his veins through a needle.
Florida’s lethal injection cocktail consists of three chemicals:
- The first is an injection of etomidate, an anesthetic.
- The second injection is rocuronium bromide, a paralytic muscle relaxer.
- The third is potassium acetate, which causes the heart to stop, followed by an injection of a saline solution. The executioner also injects a saline solution to ensure the drugs enter the inmate’s veins.
In 2000, then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed legislation making lethal injection the state’s default method of execution amid controversy over the electric chair.
The last inmate Florida executed by electrocution was Allen Davis in July 1999. Witnesses described blood streaming from Davis’ nose and onto his shirt, which drew widespread attention two years after an inmate’s mask burst into flames during a different Florida electrocution.
On Thursday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court released a brief statement that it had declined Cole’s request to postpone his execution.
“The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice (Clarence) Thomas and by him referred to the Court is denied,” the court said in a 10:33 a.m. email. “The petition for a writ of certiorari is denied.”
A stay is a court action that stops a legal proceeding, usually temporarily.
More: ‘He wasn’t forgotten’: Friends of John Edwards reflect on Loran Cole’s impending execution
More: ‘He wasn’t forgotten’: Friends of John Edwards reflect on Loran Cole’s impending execution
Portions of this live blog contain previously reported material by staff of the USA TODAY Network – Florida.
Breaking & trending news reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
Florida
Michigan State, Florida Atlantic Will Also Face Off on the Hardwood
![Michigan State, Florida Atlantic Will Also Face Off on the Hardwood Michigan State, Florida Atlantic Will Also Face Off on the Hardwood](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1934,h_1087,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/spartan_nation/01j6dsyyt6mfa5dd3397.jpg)
On Dec. 21, Michigan State men’s basketball will welcome Florida Atlantic University (FAU) to the Breslin Center, according to Rocco Miller of The Bracketeer.
This game is set to be a thrilling encounter, as FAU has emerged as a formidable force in recent seasons, making this a significant test for the Spartans. FAU had a remarkable run in the NCAA tournament two years ago and they are becoming a solid team overall.
FAU’s rise to prominence has been nothing short of amazing. Over the past couple of years, the Owls have transformed into a powerhouse in the Conference USA, demonstrating their prowess on both ends of the court. Their impressive performance in the 2022-23 season, culminating in a Cinderella run to the Final Four as a 9-seed, captured national attention.
FAU’s blend of high-octane offense and relentless defense has established them as one of the premier programs in mid-major basketball.
This game against Michigan State represents a crucial opportunity for the Spartans to validate their standing on a larger stage. Facing an upcoming strong program like Florida Atlantic is a good game for Tom Izzo to prove why he is one of the greats. It’s a chance for Michigan State to showcase its growth and resilience and to potentially make a statement to the rest of the country.
For Michigan State, this matchup is very important. With a season filled with high expectations, the Spartans are eager to demonstrate their strength and capabilities. A victory over a high-profile opponent like FAU would not only boost their resume but also reinforce their position as a serious contender for the postseason. Izzo’s squad has always thrived on challenges, and this game will test their ability to handle pressure and compete against top-tier competition.
The Breslin Center will undoubtedly be electric on Dec. 21, with fans eager to witness this clash of basketball titans. The game promises to deliver excitement and intensity, as both teams look to assert their dominance and achieve significant milestones. As the Spartans and Owls take the court, all eyes will be on this critical contest, making it a must-watch for college basketball enthusiasts.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
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