Fort Lauderdale, Fla. — Florida is set to become the first state in nearly a decade to carry out two executions on a single day, scheduling lethal injections for Tuesday. The plan involves James Aren Duckett and 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone, who would be the second-oldest inmate executed in modern U.S. history. This scheduled event marks the first time since 2017 that a state has arranged two executions within hours of each other.
Historic Schedule and Legal Context
The planned injections occur 18 months after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis began increasing the frequency of executions at rates unseen in modern Florida history. While officials have not commented on potential logistical challenges, the timeline places Duckett’s execution at noon followed by Occhicone later that day.
James Aren Duckett, 68, was convicted of raping and drowning an 11-year-old girl while working as a police officer in central Florida in 1987. Dominick Anthony Occhicone was convicted of the 1986 killings of his ex-girlfriend’s parents. If carried out, these would be Florida's 11th and 12th executions this year.
The Florida Supreme Court recently denied appeals for both men. Duckett’s attorneys argued innocence based on inconclusive DNA evidence results due to technological limitations at the time of his trial. Occhicone’s legal team contended that age-related health issues, including kidney and prostate problems, could make the execution process painful.
DeSantis Administration's Execution Record
Governor DeSantis, who leaves office in January, oversaw a record 19 executions in 2025. This total exceeds any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, with the previous high being eight executions in 2014. If Tuesday’s proceedings occur, DeSantis will have overseen 31 executions during his final two years, compared to just nine in the first six years of his administration.
The double schedule follows a complex legal timeline for Duckett. After an initial stay by state judges allowed for DNA testing, results remained inconclusive but did not exonerate him. Following the removal of Duckett’s stay on July 8, DeSantis signed a new death warrant and added his execution to Occhicone's date, as reported by El País.
Historically, multiple executions in one day were more common, with the last instance occurring in Florida on May 12, 1964. Nationally, Arkansas executed two inmates on the same day in April 2017, and Texas did so twice in 2000.
Community Reaction and Future Implications
The organization Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty has urged DeSantis to halt both executions. Executive Director Grace Hanna described July 28 as an "unprecedented escalation" of capital punishment in Florida, citing evidence that such measures do not align with public desire.
DeSantis has previously stated his goal is delivering justice to victims' families who have waited decades for sentences to be carried out. He emphasized at a November 2025 news conference that "justice delayed is justice denied" and affirmed he would not proceed if he believed an inmate was innocent.
Occhicone’s execution will make him the oldest prisoner executed in Florida's modern history, surpassing two 74-year-old men who were recently put to death. His case highlights national questions regarding the humanity of executing aging inmates. Occhicone would also be the second-oldest inmate known to be executed in U.S. history since Alabama executed 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. in 2018.
