Florida Set to Execute Two Men | Annapolis News

Florida prepares to execute two men, James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone, on the same day — a rare move that underscores the state’s escalating use of capital punishment. Duckett, 68, convicted in 1987 for raping and drowning an 11-year-old girl while a police officer, faces execution despite his legal team’s claims of innocence and questions over mishandled DNA evidence. Occhicone, 80, convicted for murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986, has attorneys arguing his age and health make the execution cruel and unusual. Both appeals were denied by Florida’s Supreme Court, with pending U.S. Supreme Court reviews. Governor DeSantis, nearing the end of his term, has overseen 31 executions in his final two years — a stark contrast to his first six — as his administration pushes forward with justice for victims’ families. Critics decry the move as an alarming expansion of the death penalty, despite public sentiment suggesting otherwise. The last time Florida scheduled two executions on the same day was over 60 years ago. 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/8a9e1d866b10ca05