TALLAHASSEE, FL – Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on the Mark Dean Schwab case:

"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court has denied Mark Dean Schwab's petition for certiorari, thus lifting the stay on his execution and declining to interfere in Florida's current lethal injection procedures.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rios-Martinez family as they move one step closer toward seeing justice finally obtained for Junny Rios-Martinez."

The Governor’s Office has been alerted of the lifting of the stay, and pursuant to Section 922.06(b), Fla.Stat., a new date must now be set for Schwab's death warrant to be carried out.

The denial is listed on page five of the U.S. Supreme Court's Summary Dispositions for Monday, May 19, 2008, available online at: http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/orders-mon-05-19.pdf.