James Duckett is currently on Florida’s death row awaiting execution for a crime he has always maintained he did not commit. This execution was scheduled for Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 6pm.
Today, The Florida Supreme Court granted Mr. Duckett a stay of execution pending the completion of his DNA testing. This means that as of today, the execution scheduled for Tuesday has been halted. However, the stay is temporary, and the execution could be rescheduled if the Court allows it to proceed after DNA results are received. We’ll keep you posted with another update by the end of the day tomorrow.
The Court issued the stay because DNA testing in the case is still ongoing and not yet complete. The evidence being tested, a swab collected from the victim’s clothing, has been acknowledged by the State as potentially exculpatory, and the Court determined that the execution should not move forward while those results are still pending.
- The State has been ordered to provide an update on the DNA testing by Friday, March 27 at 5 pm.
- The stay remains in place until the Court issues another order.
- The execution may be rescheduled depending on the outcome of the DNA testing and subsequent rulings.
What this does not mean:
- That Mr. Duckett definitely will be executed Tuesday
- That Mr. Duckett definitely will not be executed Tuesday
The fight isn’t over yet. It’s still important that you take action by signing the petition and sending Gov. DeSantis a letter. Grassroots activism and public opinion matter, and I can’t think of a situation where the stakes are any higher than this. A man’s life is quite literally on the line.
Thank you for staying engaged and for joining us in the fight for abolition across Florida. We’ll be back tomorrow with more.
Onward,
Grace and the FADP Team