Overview
- Florida carried out two lethal injections at Florida State Prison on July 28, 2026, pronouncing James Aren Duckett dead at 1:19 p.m. and Dominick Anthony Occhicone dead at 6:13 p.m.
- Duckett, 68, was convicted in the 1987 rape and drowning of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee and declined a final statement, while Occhicone, 80, was convicted for the 1986 killing of his former partner’s parents and apologized before his execution.
- Duckett’s execution had been stayed in March so the Florida Supreme Court could order DNA testing of old evidence that later returned inconclusive results, and both men’s last-minute appeals to higher courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, were denied.
- The double execution adds to a marked acceleration under Governor Ron DeSantis, bringing Florida’s 2026 total to 12 executions — more than all other states combined — after 2023 laws lowered the jury vote needed to recommend death from unanimity to eight of 12.
- Faith leaders, death‑penalty groups and advocates criticized the rapid scheduling, secrecy around execution planning and medical and evidentiary concerns, and they say the events increase pressure to reexamine testing protocols, clemency norms and lethal‑injection procedures before the next execution scheduled for August 18.