Florida carried out two executions on Tuesday, marking the first time in modern history that the state has put two people to death on the same day. James Duckett, a former police officer convicted of murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987, and Dominick Occhicone, who was sentenced for killing his fiancée’s parents in Pasco County in 1986, both died by lethal injection at Florida State Prison. The executions occurred during an unprecedented period of capital punishment activity under Governor Ron DeSantis, who has authorized over 30 executions since taking office. Duckett maintained his innocence throughout the process and had no last words before dying early Tuesday afternoon. Occhicone apologized to his victims’ families before passing away five hours later at age 80, becoming the oldest person executed in Florida since capital punishment resumed in 1979. The cases highlight ongoing debates about the death penalty, with vigil attendees protesting outside the prison while victim families sought closure after decades of waiting for justice.
Florida Executes Two Men For 1980s Murders Amid Record Death Penalty Surge
