Florida executed two death-row inmates on July 28, marking the state’s first double execution in more than 60 years. The executions of James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone occurred within hours of each other at the Florida State Prison in Raiford. Governor Ron DeSantis stated that carrying out these sentences brings necessary closure to victims’ families who have waited decades for justice. This event highlights an aggressive push by the state to increase capital punishment, drawing both support from grieving relatives and criticism from death penalty opponents.
Historic Double Execution in Raiford
The first execution took place at 1:19 p.m., when James Duckett, a 68-year-old former police officer, was put to death by lethal injection. He had been convicted of killing 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee in Mascotte, Florida, in May 1987. Five hours later, at 6:13 p.m., the state executed Dominick Occhicone, an 80-year-old man who murdered his ex-fiancée’s parents in Holiday, Florida, in June 1986. Occhicone became the oldest inmate ever executed in Florida and the second-oldest in U.S. history.
Decades of Delays for Victims' Families
Duckett was originally scheduled to be executed in March but received a temporary reprieve from the Florida Supreme Court pending new DNA testing. The tests were inconclusive, leading to his execution on July 28 after DeSantis signed a death warrant on July 14. Teresa Mae McAbee’s mother, Dorothy Tula, witnessed the event and stated she had waited 40 years for justice. Similarly, Occhicone’s victims’ family described the execution as "the end of a long and painful journey," noting that they have missed birthdays and milestones since the murders in 1986.
DeSantis Pushes Record Execution Numbers
Governor DeSantis has emphasized his commitment to carrying out old death sentences, citing meetings with victims' families as reinforcement for this approach. Data from USA TODAY indicates that Florida carried out 31 of the 66 executions in the United States since January 2025, accounting for 47% of national totals. Since the start of the year, the state has accounted for 63% of U.S. executions. DeSantis argues that "justice delayed is justice denied," aiming to provide resolution for families who have suffered for decades.
Criticism and Political Debate
The rapid pace of these executions has drawn sharp criticism from death penalty opponents. Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, criticized DeSantis’s "secretive, self-serving pursuit" of record-setting numbers, arguing it ignores the trauma inflicted on prison staff. Critics also questioned the decision to execute an 80-year-old man with significant health issues and a case involving inconclusive DNA evidence. Some observers suggest political motivations ahead of the 2028 presidential election are driving these actions, though DeSantis’s office has not responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
