The State of Florida has scheduled the executions of two death-row prisoners on Tuesday 28th of July 2026, marking what would be the first double execution in the US since 2017 – and only the second this century.
Executing more than one person in a day at the same facility puts stress on an execution system that is already under increased pressure, and this pressure puts prisoners at a greater risk of a botched execution. Our report into botched and prolonged executions found that hasty executions were a key driver of botches across jurisdictions.
CNN was the first outlet to report on the the plan to kill James Duckett and Dominick Occhicone by lethal injection. Reprieve US CEO Maya Foa was interviewed for the piece, alongside Catholic priest Father Dustin Feddon, and Maria DeLiberato, senior counsel at the ACLU’s Capital Punishment Project.
“The pace of executions and the signing of death warrants is very different to the national picture. This is an execution spree at a grand scale,” Maya said. “To add in [the pressure of executing two men the same day] in Florida, where already there have been more executions in that one state alone than there have been in the rest of the US this year – it’s asking for more problems”.
Read the full story on CNN.
The Guardian US’ chief reporter, Ed Pilkington, also wrote about the upcoming executions. The piece centred Reprieve’s research into botched lethal injection executions, citing our 2024 report, as well as interviewing Reprieve US’ Deputy Director, Matt Wells.
Quoted alongside the Death Penalty Information Centre’s Robin Maher, Matt spoke to the unconscionable risks that hasty executions create, saying: “By rushing executions, Florida is increasing the chances that these and other men will suffer a torturous death”. He also highlighted the lack of public accountability in the state: “Men could die in agony and witnesses wouldn’t know it. Florida uses a paralytic designed to prevent signs of visible pain”.
Read the full piece on the Guardian.
