Florida Executes Two in Historic Day | Miami News

Florida executed two inmates in one day — the first time in nearly a decade — sending shockwaves through the nation’s death penalty debate. James Duckett, 68, was put to death for raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987, while 80-year-old Dominick Occhicone, convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986, became the second-oldest person ever executed in Florida’s modern history. Both had their last-ditch appeals rejected by the Supreme Court, with Duckett’s team arguing innocence and flawed DNA evidence, and Occhicone’s lawyers claiming his age and health made execution cruel and unusual. Governor Ron DeSantis, who has made Florida the nation’s busiest state for executions during his term, defended the move as justice delayed too long — even as the death penalty declines nationwide, Florida alone accounts for nearly half of all state executions this year. With DeSantis leaving office in January, this high-stakes, high-profile day underscores his legacy of accelerating executions — and igniting national controversy. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8ab107b1a5c4ad94