David Pittman, 63, was executed by lethal injection this Wednesday at the state prison in Raiford, Florida, after more than thirty years on death row. His case is linked to the 1990 murders of his ex-wife, Bonnie Knowles, and her parents, Clarence and Barbara Knowles, in Polk County.
With this execution, Florida reaches 12 so far in 2025—the highest number in a single year since the U.S. Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. The state’s previous record was eight executions in 2014.
Pittman’s defense attempted to halt the procedure, arguing he suffered from an intellectual disability that made him ineligible for the death penalty, but both the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the appeals.
Leading in Executions
Amid the current surge in capital punishment in the U.S., Florida leads the count, followed by Texas and South Carolina with four executions each.
The country has already recorded thirty executions in 2025, the highest number in over a decade. Of these, 25 died by lethal injection, three by nitrogen hypoxia, and two by firing squad in South Carolina.
Governor Ron DeSantis has authorized 14 executions so far this year, solidifying the state as one of the most active in applying the punishment. Upcoming executions on the schedule include Victor Tony Jones on September 30 and Samuel Smithers on October 14.
Several human rights organizations have warned that the increase reflects a toughening of criminal justice policies in Florida and have reiterated their criticism of the death penalty.
Image: DiarioNY
