David Pittman, 63, was executed in Florida yesterday for the 1990 murders of three relatives of his estranged wife. The execution occurred at 6:12 p.m. at Florida State Prison in Starke after Governor Ron DeSantis signed the death warrant, marking the state’s 12th execution of the year, FOX 13 reported.
As per The Independent Florida Alligator, Pittman was convicted of stabbing Bonnie Knowles and her parents, Clarence and Barbara Knowles.
According to WFLA, Pittman’s appeals claiming he was intellectually disabled and ineligible for execution under the Eighth Amendment were dismissed by both the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. In his final statement, Pittman maintained his innocence, saying, “I know you all came to watch an innocent man be murdered by the State of Florida. I am innocent. I didn’t kill anybody. That’s it,” witnesses reported.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd expressed satisfaction with the sentencing. John Stewart, a volunteer with Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, argued that Pittman’s execution was illegal, citing intellectual disadvantages, while Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier supported the state’s decision, stating it followed the court’s direction on capital sentences.
The victims’ relatives did not release statements, and Pittman’s attorney did not respond to requests for comment. The next scheduled execution is that of Samuel Smithers, known as the “Deacon of Death,” on October 14, FOX 13 reported.
