The Florida Supreme Court on Friday struck down the state's new death penalty statute because it does not require juries to agree unanimously to sentence convicts to death.

The state court was ruling on a new death penalty law passed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the state's previous death penalty laws unconstitutional in January, Reuters reported.

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The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a Florida judge's sentencing ruling that Timothy Hurst should be executed for a 1998 murder, saying Florida judges were taking on powers that should be reserved to juries.

Florida responded with a new law requiring 10 out of 12 jurors to agree to sentence convicts to death.

The state court found the new law "unconstitutional because it requires that only ten jurors recommend death as opposed to the constitutionally required unanimous, twelve-member jury."

Richard Corcoran, the Republican leader of the Florida State House, called the ruling an "effort to subvert the will of the people as expressed by their elected representatives."

Only Florida, Delaware and Alabama had death penalty sentencing laws that don't require unanimous decisions by juries. Delaware's high court struck down its statute in August, and Alabama's death penalty laws are under review by the U.S. Supreme Court.