The Daily Beast published an article on Wednesday that seems to take a critical stance on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for approving the execution of five veterans involved in serious crimes, including rape and murder.

On Tuesday, news began to circulate regarding over 100 veterans who had signed a letter appealing to DeSantis, urging him to halt the executions of military veterans currently on death row in Florida. The governor has often referred to Florida as the “most veteran-friendly state” in the country. Notably, five out of the nine individuals facing execution were veterans, and before referencing the veterans’ letter, DeSantis acknowledged his own past service in the Navy.

The article indicated that Florida would continue to carry out executions by lethal injection or electric chair at the Florida State Prison. It highlighted ongoing appeals from veterans throughout the state, requesting that DeSantis intervene on behalf of fellow service members.

Among those mentioned in the article was Jeffrey Hutchinson, a 62-year-old veteran whose background was detailed. His lawyer argued during his trial that he struggled with PTSD and other serious mental health issues following his service in Iraq. Hutchinson maintained his innocence and suggested that conspiracy theories explained the circumstances surrounding the murder.

Alongside Hutchinson, the executed veterans include Bobby Joe Long, Duane Owen, Edward James, and Edward Zakrzewski.

Hutchinson, a Gulf War veteran, was convicted for the 1998 murders of Renee Flaherty and her three children. While he insisted he did not commit the crimes, court records show he argued with Flaherty on the night of the murders, later claiming to have left the scene in a fit of anger before calling 911.

Authorities discovered gunshot wounds where the murders took place. A group of veterans, including Hutchinson’s advocates at a learning center in Tallahassee, wrote a letter to DeSantis prior to Hutchinson’s execution, referring to him as “one of us.”

The letter described Hutchinson’s severe mental health conditions as a result of his wartime experiences, emphasizing that these were not personal failings but manifestations of trauma from his service.

Before Hutchinson’s scheduled execution, Edward James had been executed for the murders of an eight-year-old girl and her grandmother in 1993. James had a troubled military record, having received a general discharge due to drug use.

James was accused of heinous crimes, which included the rape and murder of the child, after a night of heavy drinking. He was later arrested in California, having fled Florida after the crimes.

Additionally, Duane Owen was convicted of the brutal killing and sexual assault of a 14-year-old babysitter, while Bobby Joe Long was a serial killer executed in 2019 for multiple murders. His crimes haunted the Tampa Bay area, where he caused widespread terror in the 1980s.

The latest execution was of Edward Zakrzewski, who killed his wife and her children through a violent attack after she sought a divorce.

The veterans associated with the Challenger Learning Center criticized DeSantis’s approach, stating that true veteran-friendliness cannot coexist with such executions. A letter from the group called for a return to honoring the code of service and preventing the executions of fellow soldiers.

This ongoing situation raises complex questions about justice, military service, and mental health, intertwining personal stories with broader societal issues.