An 80-year-old individual is set to be executed in the United States, marking him as the second-oldest person in modern US history to face such a fate. The man, Dominick Anthony Occhicone, was convicted of murdering the parents of his former girlfriend back in 1986. Scheduled for execution in Florida, he will become the oldest person in the state’s history and the second-oldest in US national history to undergo this punishment as part of the state’s ongoing execution protocol.
Facing lethal injection at 6pm local time, Occhicone’s legal appeals, including a recent denial by the US Supreme Court following an appeal by his defense team citing age-related health issues, have not succeeded. Despite arguments claiming that his health conditions would make the execution exceptionally painful, the state of Florida remains prepared to carry out the sentence as planned.
If executed as scheduled, Occhicone would become the oldest inmate to be put to death in Florida, following in the wake of two 74-year-old men who previously held that status. Notably, his execution would also make him the second-oldest prisoner to be executed in modern US history after 83-year-old Walter Moody Jr’s execution in Alabama in 2018.
Occhicone spent 40 years on death row and is the sole surviving member of his immediate family, who had previously expressed concerns about his volatile behavior following his murder conviction. The tragic events of 1986 saw Occhicone fatally shooting Anita Gerrity’s parents, Raymond and Martha Artzner, after a confrontation at their home in Florida. His actions, deemed as “cruel and unusual” by opponents of the death penalty due to his health issues, led to his life sentence and subsequent death sentence.
Despite criticisms from groups like Floridians For Alternatives to the Death Penalty, who cited his health problems as a reason to oppose the execution, the state remains resolute in carrying out the sentence. Executive director Grace Hannah of the organization condemned the decision, labeling it as an act of cruelty and a violation of moral standards.