Podcast Summary:

Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode Title: Georgia Puts Execution ON HOLD, While Florida Plans To Execute Record 19th Inmate
Date: December 16, 2025
Hosts: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes (iHeartPodcasts)

Overview

This episode dives into two key events in the U.S. death penalty landscape as the year draws to a close: the last-minute suspension of a scheduled execution in Georgia and Florida's plan to carry out its record-setting 19th execution of the year. Amy and TJ examine the legal complications, moral questions, and broader national trends related to capital punishment, including the paradoxical rise in executions amid declining public support.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Georgia Execution Suspended—The Case of Stacy Humphries

• Background: Stacy Humphries, 52, was convicted of a double murder in 2003 involving two young real estate agents, Lori Brown (21) and Cindy Williams (33), in Georgia.
• Details of Crime:
  • Humphries tied up, tortured, and killed the victims after forcing them to reveal their ATM PIN numbers. Money was subsequently taken from their accounts ([07:07]).
  • He admitted guilt, stating he needed the stolen money to pay off high-interest car loans ([07:57]).
• Legal Developments:
  • Despite repeated court rejections of appeals, a Georgia parole board issued a sudden order suspending Humphries’ execution, originally scheduled for December 17 ([05:24]).
  • Reason for Delay:
    • Two of the five parole board members recused themselves due to conflicts of interest—one was a victim's advocate with personal ties to the case, the other an acting sheriff in a related county ([11:10]).
    • With only three members remaining, Humphries’ legal team argued he is entitled to a full five-member board for a fair clemency hearing. State officials contend the law permits decisions by three ([09:40]).
    • The death warrant remains valid until noon on Christmas Eve ([06:03]).
  • Macabre Timing: The delay means the state is racing against a deadline—humorously, but grimly summarized as "We got to kill this guy before Santa comes" ([09:40], [11:51]).
• Hosts' Reflections:
  • Amy Robach: “This is state-sanctioned killing that we're doing here...Something about that just feels icky as hell.” ([12:19])
  • TJ Holmes: “It is almost certainly going to happen...This is not a question of guilt or innocence.” ([08:54])
  • General consensus: This appears to be a bureaucratic delay, not a move towards sparing Humphries’ life.

2. The Ritual of Last Meals

• Humphries’ Request: His last meal was extraordinarily large and became a headline: barbecue beef brisket, pork ribs, bacon double cheeseburger, fries, coleslaw, cornbread, buffalo wings, meat lover’s pizza, vanilla ice cream, and two lemon-lime sodas ([14:52]).
  • “I've never seen anything like that...He is not going out with a steak tartare. Why the hell not go crazy in that last moment?” — Amy Robach ([15:22])
  • Noted that Georgia appeared ready to honor the request, unlike Texas, which strictly limits or has eliminated the traditional last meal due to abuses ([16:32]).
  • Discussion: They speculate about the purpose of the ritual—possibly to ease the guilt of those carrying out executions or rooted in historical fears of being haunted by the executed ([22:59]).

3. Florida Sets Execution Record

• Upcoming Execution: Florida is scheduled to execute Frank Walls, putting the state at 19 executions for the year—40% of the national total ([23:59]).
  • Walls was 19 at the time of the murders and is argued by his lawyers to be intellectually disabled (IQ around 72-74), yet remains on schedule for execution ([24:52]).
• Record Pace: This marks the highest number of executions Florida has carried out in one year ([23:59]).

4. Death Penalty Trends & Public Sentiment

• Annual Report Highlights (Death Penalty Information Center):
  • 48 executions expected in 2025, up from 25 the year before ([26:01]).
  • Public support for the death penalty is at a 50-year low—52% support, 44% oppose ([26:31]).
    • “That’s the highest number [opposed] we have seen in some 50 years in this country.” — Amy Robach ([26:31])
  • The Supreme Court did not stay any executions in 2025; in two cases where executions were paused, state governors intervened, not the Court ([25:25]).
  • Only 22 new death sentences issued this year, with juries choosing life over death 56% of the time ([27:21]).
  • 10 out of the 48 people executed this year were military veterans (about 20%)—a disproportionate figure that prompts concern over the treatment and mental health of veterans in the justice system ([27:57], [28:50]):
    • “That is disturbing to think, but that's a disproportionate number...” — Amy Robach ([28:53])

5. Moral and Procedural Reflections

• Amy and TJ repeatedly stress the moral weight and fallibility of capital punishment systems:
  • “When it comes to killing somebody state sanctioned...we gotta get it right. 100, we have to be 100% correct.” — Amy Robach ([29:34])
  • Discussion on giving victims’ families a meaningful role in the process, noting that some have advocated for sparing inmates’ lives ([29:49]).
  • “We should be able to talk about these stories. You should know how it happens. You should know what happens. You should know who we're killing and why we're killing them. It's all a part of at least bolstering what you already believe or questioning what you think you know.” — TJ Holmes ([31:16])

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “The numbers of executions [are] at the highest we've seen in a while.” — Amy Robach ([02:56])
• “Why are people on death row for up to four decades? Let's get some closure and some justice for these families.” — TJ Holmes ([03:31])
• “[The clemency hearing] is on hold...We gotta kill this guy before Santa comes...” — Amy Robach ([09:40])
• “This is state-sanctioned killing that we're doing here...Something about that just feels icky as hell.” — Amy Robach ([12:19])
• “This is about a parole board...his lawyer's team claim [two members] have a conflict of interest...” — TJ Holmes ([08:54])
• “That's a disproportionate number [of veterans on death row].” — Amy Robach ([28:53])
• “This is not a question of guilt or innocence. It's not a question as to whether or not he received a fair trial.” — TJ Holmes ([08:54])
• “It is a macabre deadline this time of year, certainly to even consider.” — TJ Holmes ([10:36])
• “Younger people are more against it...somebody gets off death row, they're innocent, those things stick.” — Amy Robach ([26:37])
• “Both of the victims' families were very much in favor of the person convicted of killing their loved one to not die.” — TJ Holmes ([29:49])
• “You should know who we're killing and why we're killing them...” — TJ Holmes ([31:16])

Important Timestamps

• 02:56: Introduction, overview of current execution climate
• 04:51: Case specifics on Stacy Humphries
• 06:03–06:49: Details on legal process and clemency hearing in Georgia
• 07:07–08:28: Details of Humphries' crime and confession
• 09:40–11:10: Parole board recusals, legal wrangling
• 14:52: Discussion of Humphries’ unprecedented last meal request
• 16:32: State differences in last meal policies (Georgia vs Texas)
• 23:59: Florida execution of Frank Walls, record total
• 25:25–26:01: Supreme Court's stance and jump in executions
• 26:31: Polling data on public opinion
• 27:57–28:53: Military veterans and death row
• 29:49–31:26: Victims’ families’ perspectives; importance of transparency

Final Thoughts

Amy and TJ offer a candid, empathetic look at the complexities of the U.S. death penalty system: its bureaucracies, its rituals, its human costs, and the shifting public and judicial sentiment surrounding it. The episode is balanced—acknowledging the severity of crimes and victims’ pain, but stressing the crucial importance of correctness and humanity in the ultimate decision to take a life.

For more detail, listeners are encouraged to consult resources like the Death Penalty Information Center.