Michael King is scheduled for execution in Florida on March 17, 2026 for the 2008 murder of Denise Lee.

While it does not excuse his crime, it is important to understand who it is that the state plans to kill.

When he was six years old, Michael king suffered a severe head injury in a sledding accident. The sled he was riding slammed into a wooden post, and his face and frontal lobe struck the beam directly, knocking him unconscious. He was carried home bleeding from his head, nose, and mouth while his family tried to keep him awake so he would not slip into a coma.

After that accident, his life changed.

Michael began experiencing chronic nosebleeds, hallucinations, severe anxiety, and significant struggles in school. Family members described drastic behavioral changes following the injury. Neuropsychological testing later revealed structural abnormalities in his frontal lobe — the region responsible for impulse control, reasoning, and the ability to weigh consequences.

But the full scope of this neurological damage was never adequately investigated or presented to the jury that decided whether Michael should live or die.

Michael has spent nearly two decades on death row. During that time, he has maintained steady behavior inside the prison and worked performing plumbing and maintenance tasks that assist others in the institution. He has also developed a deep religious faith that has become central to his life. For years, his spiritual advisor has visited him weekly. Michael studies scripture, attends religious services, and participates in prison ministry. Those who know him describe a man capable of reflection, remorse, and transformation.

This is the fourth death warrant of 2026, following an unprecedented execution pace in 2025. Florida led the nation in executions in 2025 by setting its own record for executions with Governor DeSantis signing 19 death warrants last year. Let's make sure Florida does not repeat this record in 2026.

Learn more about this case with Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty.

Join the Virtual Vigil

Call Gov. DeSantis at 850-717-9337 with the following message:

"Hi. My name is [your name]. I am calling to urge Gov. DeSantis to stop the killing spree. We acknowledge how devastating of a crime it was that Michael committed he killed Denise Lee in 2008. We don't wish to gloss over that fact, but the best thing we can do to honor Denise is to work for the prevention of crime and not to replicate the violence she endured. Killing Michael will do nothing to serve the people of Florida. Thank you for your consideration."

REGISTER FOR THE VIRTUAL VIGIL BEGINNING AT 5PM ET ON 3/17.

Communities of Faith - Toll Your Bells (or put up a sign & pray in the weeks prior) at the time of an execution. Learn more and register here.

While most states have moved away from the death penalty, Florida is accelerating executions at an alarming rate. Each warrant signed underscores the state’s embrace of a punishment that is arbitrary, racially biased, and out of step with evolving standards of decency.

We believe in accountability, and have sympathy for the victim's family members, friends and community. Their loss is tragic and unimaginable. But true justice and accountability does not require execution. A sentence of life without the possibility of parole protects society while also recognizing the human capacity for redemption and the role of childhood trauma in shaping adult behavior.

Florida does not need the death penalty to be safe. This execution will not make us safer, it will simply add another act of violence to an already tragic story. Justice does not require death.

Please sign the petition asking Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida State Board of Executive Clemency to do everything within their power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.