A man convicted of the fatal shooting of a police officer during a traffic stop is scheduled for execution in Florida on Tuesday evening. Billy Leon Kearse, 53, was sentenced to death for his role in the 1991 killing of Fort Pierce Police Officer Danny Parrish. The execution will take place at Florida State Prison near Starke, starting at 6 p.m.
### Background of the Case
Kearse’s conviction stems from a traffic incident in January 1991, when Officer Parrish pulled him over for driving against the flow of traffic. During the stop, Kearse was unable to produce a valid driver’s license, prompting Parrish to attempt to detain him. A physical confrontation ensued, during which Kearse allegedly forcibly took Parrish’s firearm. Reports indicate that he fired a total of 14 rounds, hitting the officer nine times in vital areas while also striking his body armor multiple times.
As Parrish lay injured, a nearby taxi driver who witnessed the altercation used the officer’s radio to summon help. Despite immediate medical attention, Parrish succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at a local hospital. Law enforcement utilized the officer’s prior radio communications to trace Kearse’s vehicle, leading to his subsequent arrest.
### Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Kearse was first sentenced to death in 1991 on charges of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm. However, the Florida Supreme Court later found that the trial court had failed to provide jurors with critical information regarding aggravating circumstances during the initial sentencing phase. As a result, Kearse was resentenced to death in 1997.
In the years following his sentencing, Kearse has filed multiple appeals. Recently, his legal team argued that he had been denied a fair penalty phase during his trial and contended that his alleged intellectual disability rendered his execution unconstitutional. These appeals were denied by the Florida Supreme Court last week.
### Execution under Governor DeSantis
Kearse’s execution is part of a larger trend in Florida’s death penalty practices. Under the administration of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida has seen an increase in the number of executions. In 2026 alone, this will be the third execution, following a record-setting 19 executions that took place in 2025. This marked the highest number of executions in a single year in Florida since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, surpassing the previous record of eight, which occurred in both 1984 and 2014.
The increase in death warrants signed by DeSantis has positioned Florida as a leader in the implementation of capital punishment, significantly outpacing other states. In 2025, Florida had the highest number of executions in the United States, with 47 total executions nationwide. Following Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas each reported five executions during the same period.
### Upcoming Executions
In addition to Kearse’s scheduled execution, Florida has two more executions set for later this month. Michael Lee King, aged 54, is scheduled to be executed on March 17, and James Aren Duckett, 68, is set for March 31.
All executions in Florida are carried out by lethal injection, which consists of a three-drug protocol that includes a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a drug designed to terminate heart function. The state’s Department of Corrections oversees the administration of these executions.
As the clock ticks down to Kearse’s execution date, final appeals are pending at the U.S. Supreme Court level, underscoring the ongoing legal complexities surrounding capital punishment in Florida.
Source: Original Reporting
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