STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Samuel Lee Smithers, a 72-year-old man convicted for the 1996 murders of two women whose bodies were discovered in a rural pond, was executed on Tuesday evening by lethal injection at Florida State Prison. This execution, the 14th in the state this year, breaks Florida's previous record of a single-year total of executions.
Smithers was found guilty in 1999 of murdering Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, both of whom he met in a motel to pay for sexual services. After the disposal of their bodies in a pond, dramatic evidence led to his conviction, including a pool of blood in his carport prior to their discovery.
The execution took place at the scheduled time of 6:00 p.m., with Smithers already restrained on the execution table. When offered a final statement, he declined to speak. The administration of lethal drugs began shortly afterward, leading to his death at 6:15 p.m. Despite a brief convulsion, he was declared dead a minute later.
Florida's record now stands at 14 executions this year, surpassing the previous highest annual total of eight in 2014. Following Smithers, two more executions are planned later this month. Smithers' execution, which his defense attorneys argued was cruel given his age, was completed without incident, as confirmed by Department of Corrections officials.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently denied his final appeals, maintaining the death penalty’s controversial status in the state as it continues to lead the nation in executions. His conviction stemmed from severe acts of violence that raised questions about justice and punishment for the elderly, though the court ruled that advancing age does not exempt one from execution.
The circumstances surrounding the brutality of Cowan and Roach's murders underline the severe implications of the sentencing, as their ordeal remains a dark chapter in Florida’s criminal history.
Smithers was found guilty in 1999 of murdering Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, both of whom he met in a motel to pay for sexual services. After the disposal of their bodies in a pond, dramatic evidence led to his conviction, including a pool of blood in his carport prior to their discovery.
The execution took place at the scheduled time of 6:00 p.m., with Smithers already restrained on the execution table. When offered a final statement, he declined to speak. The administration of lethal drugs began shortly afterward, leading to his death at 6:15 p.m. Despite a brief convulsion, he was declared dead a minute later.
Florida's record now stands at 14 executions this year, surpassing the previous highest annual total of eight in 2014. Following Smithers, two more executions are planned later this month. Smithers' execution, which his defense attorneys argued was cruel given his age, was completed without incident, as confirmed by Department of Corrections officials.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently denied his final appeals, maintaining the death penalty’s controversial status in the state as it continues to lead the nation in executions. His conviction stemmed from severe acts of violence that raised questions about justice and punishment for the elderly, though the court ruled that advancing age does not exempt one from execution.
The circumstances surrounding the brutality of Cowan and Roach's murders underline the severe implications of the sentencing, as their ordeal remains a dark chapter in Florida’s criminal history.
