Executing People with Serious Mental Illness The upcoming execution of Duane Owen underscores why Florida desperately needs to pass legislation protecting people with serious mental illness from the death penalty. His story is hard to read, but important to share.  Duane was first diagnosed with schizophrenia over thirty years ago. Experts opined he was insane…

Duane Owen experienced “one of the more horrific childhoods,” a 1999 trial court had seen. Duane grew up with his older brother, older half-brother, and his alcoholic parents. Duane was exposed to sexual and physical violence on an almost daily basis from his infancy until his teenage years.  At nine years old, Owen “began to…