TALLAHASSEE — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed the state's historic double execution on July 28, stating that he does not "take joy" in carrying out such duties. The executions of James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone marked the first time two inmates have been put to death by the state since 1964. Speaking at the Florida Sheriffs Association summer conference at Trump National Doral, DeSantis described the process as a "weighty thing" while attributing the recent acceleration in executions to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Historic Double Execution
The state carried out two lethal injections on July 28. James Duckett, a 68-year-old former police officer convicted of killing an 11-year-old girl in 1987, was executed at 1:19 p.m. ET. Approximately five hours later, Florida executed Dominick Occhicone at 6:13 p.m. for the murder of his ex-fiancée's parents in 1986. At 80 years old, Occhicone became the second-oldest inmate ever executed in the United States and the oldest in Florida history.
According to an execution database maintained by the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, this event marks a significant milestone for the state's criminal justice system. DeSantis noted that normal operations were upended during the pandemic, causing schedules to fall behind. He emphasized that many victims' families have been waiting a long time for resolution.
Justice and Delays
DeSantis expressed frustration with the lengthy timeline between death sentences and executions. "You shouldn't be on death row for 20 years," he said, arguing that while appeals are necessary, there must come a point to finalize justice. He stated that knowing justice was served is important to many people, even if full closure remains elusive.
Florida has recently seen an aggressive push by the governor's administration to increase execution rates. Of the 66 inmates executed in the United States since January 2025, Florida carried out 31, representing 47 percent of the national total. Since the start of this year, the state accounted for 63 percent of all U.S. executions.
As a term-limited governor, DeSantis continues to oversee one of the most active capital punishment programs in the nation. Florida currently puts more elderly prisoners to death than any other state in the country. The double execution underscores the administration's focus on expediting legal processes for convicted murderers while addressing the backlog created by recent public health crises.
