In less than two weeks, on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. ET, Florida plans to execute David Pittman, a man with intellectual disability.
His execution is prohibited by law, and the State of Florida has turned a blind eye. The U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that executing people with intellectual disability violates the Eighth Amendment. It is beyond dispute that David is a person with intellectual disability. His IQ was tested at 70 and 71 before age 18, he was placed in special education, he had documented brain damage, and there were medical evaluations reaffirming his condition. Notably, neither the court nor the state are not truly disputing his condition. Instead, they are claiming that did not follow the right procedural rules to bring this claim on time, so his execution shall proceed. This is the Florida we have become.
What can you do?
- Take action now: Sign our petition to Governor DeSantis
- Write a letter: Send a personal message urging Governor DeSantis to halt David’s execution
- Show up: Join one of the statewide vigils and protests on Sept. 17 to stand against this execution.
- Read David’s story below and commit to telling the truth about the people we are killing
Cycles of Violence: David Pittman’s Story
David was never able to succeed in school — his grades rarely rose above a D or an F. His parents were too poor and dysfunctional to provide him with the help he needed, ending psychiatric care after only a few visits because they couldn’t afford it.
From childhood, David endured horrific abuse. His mother admitted to beating him “every day, every other day,” using belts, broom handles, and even Hot Wheels tracks. She testified that she sometimes “beat the shit out of him.” At age six, David was knocked unconscious while trying to siphon gas. He was also subjected to severe neglect. He was once forced to sit on a bench in the kitchen for seven straight days after spilling a can of stain.
Later, expert testimony revealed that David was also sexually abused repeatedly as a child — by a babysitter, neighborhood kids, and the owner of the gas station where he worked. He began huffing gasoline and using drugs as a teenager, further compounding the brain damage and trauma from years of violence.
Dr. Henry Dee, a neuropsychologist, testified that David’s family history of mental illness, combined with extreme abuse and trauma, left lasting psychological damage. Importantly, Dr. Dee emphasized that David was not beyond redemption, that he could be safely housed in prison for the remainder of his natural life, and that his conditions could be managed with medication and counseling.
David Pittman’s execution would not only be an irreversible tragedy, it would place Florida among the few jurisdictions purposely ignoring categorical protections recognized by law.
Florida has already carried out more executions this year than in any other year in modern history. This reckless pace leaves no room for careful review and amplifies the risk of injustice.
We cannot let David Pittman become another casualty of Florida’s execution machine.
In solidarity,
Bridget Maloney
Communications Director
P.S. Victor Jones is scheduled to be executed in Florida on September 30. Please take a moment to sign his petition.