Florida Prepares for Uncommon Double Execution of Elderly Inmates

WHO:

The Guardian - James Duckett, 68, and Dominick Occhicone, 80, are the inmates scheduled for execution.

The Guardian - Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, commented on the rarity of double executions.

The Guardian - Ron DeSantis, Florida's Republican governor, is overseeing the executions.

The Guardian - Matt Wells, deputy director of Reprieve US, expressed concerns about the execution process.

The Guardian - Sonia Sotomayor, US Supreme Court Justice, criticized the secrecy surrounding Florida's death penalty practices.

WHAT:

AP News - If both executions proceed, they would bring the total for DeSantis’ final two years in office to 31 overall, compared to just nine executions during the first six years of his administration.

ABC News - Duckett was convicted of raping and drowning an 11-year-old girl while working as a police officer in a small central Florida city in 1987.

ABC News - Occhicone was convicted of the 1986 killings of his ex-girlfriend’s parents.

ABC News - Occhicone's attorneys argued that several age-related ailments, including kidney and prostate problems, could make his execution especially painful, constituting cruel and unusual punishment.

ABC News - The governor hasn’t said why he scheduled two executions on the same day.

ABC News - Occhicone would become Florida’s oldest inmate to be executed, just weeks after two 74-year-old men briefly held that spot.

ABC News - Recent executions have highlighted the nation’s aging death-row population and renewed questions about the humanity of administering capital punishment to inmates who might die soon from natural causes.

AP News - If both executions proceed, they would mark the first time since 2017 that a death penalty state has conducted more than one execution on the same day.

ABC News - Duckett and Occhicone would become Florida’s 11th and 12th inmates executed this year.

ABC News - If Occhicone is executed, he will become the second-oldest inmate put to death in modern U.S. history, following 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. in Alabama in 2018.

ABC News - DeSantis initially signed a death warrant for Duckett in February, setting a March execution date, but the Florida Supreme Court issued a stay just days before that date.

ABC News - The results of the DNA testing were inconclusive, meaning they did not exonerate Duckett or definitively connect him to the crime.

ABC News - Occhicone's death warrant was signed late last month, and initially, he was the only execution scheduled for Tuesday.

ABC News - The last time multiple executions occurred on a single day in Florida was on May 12, 1964.

ABC News - Another execution is scheduled for August.

ABC News - The Florida Supreme Court denied stays of execution for both Duckett and Occhicone, clearing the way for the double execution.

AP News - If Occhicone is executed, he will become the oldest prisoner in Florida’s history to be executed, surpassing the previous oldest prisoner, Dennis Sochor, who was put to death two weeks ago at age 74.

ABC News - The Florida Supreme Court denied appeals for both Duckett and Occhicone last week.

ABC News - Duckett's attorneys claimed he is innocent, citing issues with the handling of DNA evidence, which resulted in inconclusive results.

ABC News - Occhicone's attorneys argued that his age-related ailments could make his execution especially painful, constituting cruel and unusual punishment.

ABC News - DeSantis oversaw a record 19 executions in 2025, more than any other Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.

ABC News - If the executions proceed, it would bring the total for DeSantis’ final two years in office to 31 overall, compared to just nine executions during the first six years of his administration.

The Guardian - The last time multiple judicial killings occurred on a single day in Florida was on May 12, 1964.

The Guardian - If both executions proceed, they would mark the first time since 2017 that a death penalty state has conducted more than one execution on the same day.

AP News - Duckett and Occhicone would become Florida’s 11th and 12th inmates executed this year.

ABC News - If Occhicone is executed, he will become the second-oldest inmate put to death in modern U.S. history, following 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. in Alabama in 2018.

The Guardian - Florida is preparing to carry out its first double execution since 1976.

The Guardian - Duckett is scheduled to die by lethal injection at noon, followed by Occhicone six hours later.

The Guardian - Florida executed 19 inmates last year, reversing a decade-long decline in executions in the US.

The Guardian - Florida has executed 10 people this year, more than double the next state, Texas, which has executed four.

The Guardian - Duckett was sentenced to death for murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987, while Occhicone was sentenced for murdering his former girlfriend’s parents in 1986.

WHERE:

The Guardian - The executions are set to take place at Florida state prison near Starke.

WHEN:

The Guardian - The double execution is scheduled for Tuesday, with Duckett at noon and Occhicone at 6 PM.

WHY:

ABC News - Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, stated that July 28 represents an unprecedented escalation of Florida’s use of the death penalty.

The Guardian - The decision to proceed with the double execution is attributed to the hardline stance of Governor Ron DeSantis.

The Guardian - Experts suggest that cramming multiple executions into one day increases the risk of botched procedures.

HOW:

ABC News - Florida executions are all by injection of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

ABC News - Florida executions are carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

The Guardian - The method of execution for both inmates is lethal injection.

The Guardian - Florida has been criticized for using expired drugs and incorrect dosages in its execution protocols.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 04:02 UTC)

Florida is set to carry out two executions on the same day, which would bring the total number of executions during Governor DeSantis’ final two years in office to thirty-one, a significant increase from just nine in the first six years. One of the inmates, Occhicone, convicted of the 1986 murders of his ex-girlfriend’s parents, would become Florida’s oldest inmate to be executed, while Duckett, who was convicted of raping and drowning an 11-year-old girl in 1987, is also scheduled for execution. Recent cases have raised concerns about the aging death-row population and the implications of executing inmates who may soon die from natural causes, as Occhicone's attorneys argue that his age-related health issues could lead to a painful execution.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 02:50 UTC)

If the upcoming executions of Duckett and Occhicone proceed, it will mark the first time since 2017 that a death penalty state has conducted more than one execution on the same day, making them Florida's 11th and 12th inmates executed this year. Occhicone, if executed, would become the second-oldest inmate put to death in modern U.S. history, following 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. in Alabama in 2018. Florida executions involve a lethal injection process that includes a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

(UPDATED July 29, 2026 01:25 UTC)

The Florida Supreme Court has denied stays of execution for both Duckett and Occhicone, paving the way for a double execution that could bring the total number of executions during Governor DeSantis’ final two years in office to thirty-one, a stark increase compared to just nine in the first six years. Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, has described July 28 as an unprecedented escalation of Florida’s use of the death penalty. Executions in Florida are carried out through a method involving the injection of a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 20:22 UTC)

If Occhicone is executed, he will become the oldest prisoner in Florida's history to face execution, surpassing Dennis Sochor, who was put to death just two weeks ago at age 74. Last week, the Florida Supreme Court denied appeals for both Occhicone and Duckett, with Duckett's attorneys arguing his innocence due to issues with DNA evidence, while Occhicone's legal team contended that his age-related health problems could lead to a painful execution, which they claim would be cruel and unusual punishment. Governor DeSantis has overseen a record 19 executions in 2025 alone, and if the upcoming executions proceed, it would bring his total to 31 in his final two years in office, a stark contrast to the nine executions during the first six years of his administration.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 16:33 UTC)

If both executions proceed, it would be the first time since 2017 that a death penalty state has conducted more than one execution on the same day, with Duckett and Occhicone set to become Florida’s 11th and 12th inmates executed this year. Should Occhicone be executed, he will become the second-oldest inmate put to death in modern U.S. history, following 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr. in Alabama in 2018. Grace Hanna, executive director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, noted that this day represents an unprecedented escalation of Florida’s use of the death penalty, which is carried out by injecting a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart.

(UPDATED July 28, 2026 13:33 UTC)

Florida is preparing to carry out its first double execution since 1976, with James Duckett scheduled to die by lethal injection at noon and Dominick Occhicone set for execution six hours later. Governor Ron DeSantis is overseeing the process, which has raised concerns among experts about the risks of botched procedures, especially given the state's history of using expired drugs and incorrect dosages. Duckett was sentenced to death for the murder of an 11-year-old girl in 1987, while Occhicone received his sentence for murdering his former girlfriend’s parents in 1986.