The US state of Florida has executed David Pittman, a man convicted of the brutal 2003 murder of his 23-year-old neighbour, despite a last-minute plea from his legal team to the US supreme court.
Pittman, 75, was pronounced dead at 6:14 pm local time on Tuesday following a lethal injection at the Florida state prison in Raiford. He becomes the ninth inmate executed in the United States this year and the second in Florida.
The execution proceeded after the Supreme Court denied a final appeal from Pittman's lawyers. They had argued that the state's intended use of the sedative midazolam in the lethal injection cocktail could lead to a painful and unconstitutional death, citing its controversial history in botched executions.
A Denied Final Request
In his final hours, Pittman's request for a last meal was denied by the Florida department of corrections. A department spokesperson confirmed the decision, stating it was in accordance with standard procedure, which only allows for the food served to the general prison population on the day of execution.
Pittman instead received his last rites from a Catholic spiritual advisor.
The Crime and a Life of Violence
Pittman was convicted of the 2003 sexual battery and murder of his neighbour, Stephanie Holley. The court heard how he stabbed her 15 times and left her body in a bathtub. The crime was described as particularly heinous, even by the standards of capital cases.
His path to death row was long and marked by violence. Prior to the murder of Holley, Pittman had served nearly two decades in a Michigan prison for the 1968 stabbing death of his 15-year-old sister-in-law. He was released on parole in 1985.
In a final, brief last word, Pittman did not mention his victim or express remorse. He simply stated, "I'm done. Let's get this over with."
