TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a new death warrant setting two executions to occur on the same day at Florida State Prison, according to a court filing and state corrections records.
The executions are scheduled for July 28. James Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer convicted in the 1988 rape and killing of an 11-year-old, is set to be executed at noon. Six hours later, Dominick Occhicone, who is 80 years old, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection.
What the cases involve
Duckett was convicted in the 1988 slaying of Teresa McAbee. Court records say authorities found distinctive tire tracks they tied to Duckett's patrol car and McAbee’s fingerprints on the vehicle’s hood. He had previously been scheduled for execution in March before the Florida Supreme Court ordered additional DNA testing; results were later deemed inconclusive and his stay was lifted.
Occhicone was convicted in the 1986 murders of Raymond and Martha Artzner in Pasco County. Documents state that prosecutors say Occhicone broke into the couple’s home and shot them after his former girlfriend refused to speak with him; she and her child escaped.
Legal and public context
The decision to schedule two executions on the same day is unusual. Occhicone’s legal team has argued that executing an octogenarian would constitute a disproportionate punishment given his advanced age.
"Cruel and unusual punishment," his attorneys argued in court filings.
Florida has accelerated executions in recent months, carrying out more death warrants than in years prior. The state Department of Corrections lists both men as scheduled to die by lethal injection at the state prison.
- Date: July 28
- Execution method: Lethal injection
- James Duckett: Scheduled at noon; convicted in 1988
- Dominick Occhicone: Scheduled for 6 p.m.; age 80; convicted in 1986
The scheduling raises questions for family members of victims, advocates for and against capital punishment, and public officials involved in carrying out executions. It also comes after rulings by the Florida Supreme Court and recent DNA testing orders in at least one of the cases.
| Inmate | Conviction year | Scheduled time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Duckett | 1988 | Noon | Former Mascotte police officer; DNA testing returned inconclusive |
| Dominick Occhicone | 1986 | 6 p.m. | Pasco County; would be oldest executed in modern state history if carried out |
Officials with the governor’s office and the Florida Department of Corrections did not immediately provide additional comment beyond the public court filings. The Florida Supreme Court recently allowed Duckett’s execution to proceed after legal delays related to post-conviction DNA testing.
News Block will continue to monitor court filings, responses from state officials and any last-minute stays or appeals related to the scheduled executions.
