Jury selection continues for a new sentencing phase in a high-profile death penalty case

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Day four and still no jury has been seated in a high-profile death penalty case.

Panama City Beach police officer Kevin Kight was murdered in 2005. Robert Bailey was convicted of Kight’s murder.

In 2007, a jury sentenced him to death.

This week marks the second time a jury has been selected for the penalty phase of this case.

There has been a lot of back and forth on a unanimous vote for the death penalty.

The jury selected this time does not have to vote unanimously in favor of the death penalty before it can be imposed.

Whether the jury was unanimous in their vote was the reason the resentencing is happening this week.

Since Bailey’s first conviction, the state legislature has amended the death penalty statute three times.

The most notable change came after the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2016 Hurst vs. Florida ruling.

In 2017, the state abolished non-unanimous jury recommendations for the death penalty.

The Parkland Shooter was sentenced to life in prison in 2022 after the jury did not unanimously vote for the death penalty.

In 2023, a state law was enacted requiring eight jury votes.

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