Death-Row Inmate Convicted of Heinous Crimes Argues He’s Too Obese to be Executed

A Florida inmate is trying to use his obesity as a way to shirk his scheduled execution in Florida, claiming the death penalty might hurt because of his weight.

Attorneys for convicted murderer Michael Tanzi, 48, say that Tanzi’s many health conditions mean that death by lethal injection might go wrong, according to CBS News.

Tanzi is scheduled to be executed April 8.

“The existing protocols for lethal injection do not contemplate the execution of someone with obesity and uncontrolled medical conditions, like Mr. Tanzi’s, that are likely to complicate the lethal injection process,” Tanzi’s attorneys argued in a court document.

“Executing Mr. Tanzi using the existing protocols is likely to cause serious illness and needless suffering,” the lawyers wrote, saying that the sedation drug to be administered might not work properly, leaving Tanzi “paralyzed but aware” during the process,

The lawyers said that as a result of difficulty in connecting the IV lines from Tanzi to the drugs that would kill him, he could face pain.

Tanzi “is morbidly obese and suffers from severe chronic sciatica” and has “hyperlipidemia, uncontrolled hypertension, and gastroesophageal reflux disease,” according to NBC.

Court documents did not say how much Tanzi weighs.

The state is opposing Tanzi’s bid to escape his punishment.

“Tanzi fails to offer any support for his groundless assertion that the massive dose of etomidate, that has been repeatedly and successfully used in Florida’s lethal injection protocol, will not work for him,” the state said.

Tanzi “has failed to show that the Governor’s warrant powers violate the Eighth Amendment,” the state argued, while also noting that no objection was raised until the weeks before Tanzi’s scheduled execution.

“Tanzi has offered no legitimate reason for this Court to depart from its longstanding precedent,” the attorney general’s office said.

🇺🇸 FLORIDA DEATH ROW INMATE CLAIMS HE’S “TOO OBESE” FOR EXECUTION

Lawyers for Michael Tanzi, a Florida death row inmate convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Janet Acosta in 2000, argue his execution should be stopped because he’s “morbidly obese.”

Tanzi’s legal team… pic.twitter.com/TY4v4zQbgT

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) March 31, 2025

The state’s response to the appeal said that despite Tanzi’s claim that lying flat on the execution gurney would cause pain, inmates are not guaranteed a pain-free execution.

The state also noted that Tanzi has provided no evidence to support his contention that his weight would alter the effect of the lethal injection drugs.

Tanzi was convicted of kidnapping and killing Janet Acosta in April 2000.

Tanzi sexually assaulted Acosta and used her bank card to withdraw cash before strangling her and dumping her body in the Florida Keys.

Monroe County Circuit Judge Timothy Koenig has rejected Tanzi’s pleas to halt his execution,  leading to an appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, according to WFTV-TV.

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