Story perspectives

Florida Executes David Pittman, 12th Execution in 2025

9/18/2025

Summary

Story summary

David Joseph Pittman, 63, was executed by lethal injection on September 17, 2025, at Florida State Prison, marking the state's 12th execution this year.
Convicted in 1991 for the 1990 murders of his estranged wife's family in Mulberry, he stabbed them and set their home ablaze.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal citing intellectual disability just days before his execution.
Witnesses noted the execution proceeded smoothly, while Pittman maintained his innocence in his last words.
Florida's 2025 execution count is the highest since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976, with two more executions scheduled this fall.

History

Historical Context

The U.S. reinstated the death penalty in 1976 after the Supreme Court's decision in Gregg v. Georgia, which led to a resurgence in capital punishment practices. In 2025, Florida executed 12 individuals, the highest annual total since 1976. David Joseph Pittman's case, originating from a 1991 conviction, underscores ongoing debates about the death penalty's application and its moral implications.

1 of 2

Story summary

David Joseph Pittman, 63, was executed by lethal injection on September 17, 2025, at Florida State Prison, marking the state's 12th execution this year.
Convicted in 1991 for the 1990 murders of his estranged wife's family in Mulberry, he stabbed them and set their home ablaze.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal citing intellectual disability just days before his execution.
Witnesses noted the execution proceeded smoothly, while Pittman maintained his innocence in his last words.
Florida's 2025 execution count is the highest since the death penalty's reinstatement in 1976, with two more executions scheduled this fall.

1 / 2