The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday denied last-minute stay requests for two Florida death row inmates, clearing the path for the state to carry out its first double execution since 1964.
James Duckett, 68, a former police officer convicted of raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987, was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 1:19 p.m. His execution had been scheduled for noon.
The court also denied a separate stay for Dominick Occhicone, 80, who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986. Occhicone's execution was scheduled for 6 p.m. If executed, he would become the oldest inmate put to death in Florida.
If Occhicone is executed, it would mark the second double execution in the United States in the 21st century, and the first since Arkansas executed two inmates in 2007. Florida has executed 12 inmates this year, more than any other state, with Texas having executed four.
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice recommended the return of firing squads and other execution methods for federal inmates convicted of heinous crimes. This recommendation was part of President Donald Trump's campaign promise to prioritize victims over offenders.