STARKE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of the 1996 killings of two women whose bodies were left in a rural pond was put to death Tuesday evening in a record 14th execution in Florida this year.
Samuel Lee Smithers, 72, was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke. Smithers was convicted in 1999 of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.
The execution was carried out without incident, as confirmed by the Department of Corrections spokesperson, Ted Veerman. After Smithers's initial response to the process was heavy breathing followed by slight convulsions, his movements ceased shortly after, and he was pronounced dead a minute later.
This execution raises significant concerns and discussions about Florida's approach to capital punishment, particularly as it continues to lead the nation in executions this year. The state has more planned in the coming weeks, highlighting an ongoing debate surrounding the death penalty.
Smithers's crime involved meeting the victims, Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, at a motel in Tampa to pay them for sex. His conviction came after authorities discovered their bodies in a pond on property where he worked. They had been severely beaten and strangled.
Smithers's legal team had argued for a reprieve based on his advanced age, asserting that executing older individuals could be seen as cruel and unusual punishment. However, both the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court denied the final appeal.
As Florida moves forward, the next executions are scheduled for later this month and next month, with further scrutiny expected over the implications of such a record pace in capital punishment.
