Florida Schedules First Double Execution Since 1964

Florida scheduled its first same-day double execution since 1964 for July 28, 2026, at the Florida State Prison. Ron DeSantis signed the death warrants for James Aren Duckett, 68, and Dominick Anthony Occhicone, 80, as part of a broader increase in capital punishment in the state.

Duckett, a former police officer convicted of the 1987 rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, was scheduled for lethal injection at noon. His execution had been previously delayed by a Florida Supreme Court stay to allow for DNA testing, but the results were inconclusive and the stay expired on July 8. Occhicone, convicted of the 1986 murder of his ex-girlfriend's parents, was scheduled for execution at 6 p.m. At 80 years old, Occhicone would become the oldest person executed in Florida's modern history.

Governor DeSantis stated that his goal is to bring justice to victims' families, asserting that "Justice delayed is justice denied." However, the move faced opposition from Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty and the Death Penalty Information Center. Critics argued the double execution is politically motivated and ignores the trauma inflicted on prison staff. Duckett's attorney, Mary Elizabeth Wells, challenged the executions, citing the destruction of biological samples and serious doubts over guilt. Despite appeals to the Florida Supreme Court and pending requests before the U.S. Supreme Court, the proceedings were set to move forward.