Owen Warrant Update: Gov. DeSantis lifts temporary stay of execution.
On May 25, 2023, Gov. DeSantis issued an Executive Order lifting the temporary stay of Owen's execution that was entered pending a Commission's review of Owen's competency.
Governor DeSantis signed a death warrant on May 9, 2023, scheduling the execution of Duane Owen for June 15, 2023. The background of Owen’s case can be found here.
Last week, Owen’s counsel invoked a procedure to determine Owen’s competency for execution. That procedure is described here. As I previously covered, Governor DeSantis issued an Executive Order temporarily staying the execution pending a Commission’s examination of Owen. The Commission’s report was due by close of business on May 24, 2023.
On May 25, 2023,1 Governor DeSantis issued an Executive Order determining, based on the Commission’s report, that Owen “has the mental capacity to understand the nature of the death penalty and the reasons why it is to be imposed upon him.”
Therefore, the Governor lifted the temporary stay of execution and directed that the death warrant, as issued, “remains in full force and effect.”
Per Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.811, Owen’s counsel can now seek review of the Governor’s determination in circuit court in Bradford County, where Florida State Prison is located.
As of now, the execution remains scheduled for June 15.
My thoughts are with everyone involved in the warrant and execution process.
The Governor’s website has May 24 listed as the date of the Executive Order, but the document is dated May 25.
Some things are very difficult to understand. How is that a man can be so blood thirsty that he'd gamble on the mental status of one he chooses to kill?