In brief
Samuel Lee Smithers, aged 72, was executed in Florida via lethal injection, becoming the 14th person to be executed in the state this year. His execution extends Florida's record number of executions in a single year, with plans for more to follow. Smithers was convicted of the murders of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach in 1996. Despite age-related arguments against his execution, the courts upheld his death sentence.
STARKE, Fla. (AP) — Samuel Lee Smithers, a man convicted for the brutal murders of two women in 1996, was executed on Tuesday evening in Florida, marking the state's record 14th execution this year. Smithers, 72, was pronounced dead at 6:15 p.m. following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison. After being strapped to the execution table, he declined to make a final statement. The execution proceeded swiftly, as protocols were followed without incident. This lethal injection adds to Florida's unprecedented tally, with additional executions planned in coming weeks, under the authority of Governor Ron DeSantis.Smithers had been convicted in June 1999 for the first-degree murders of Christy Cowan and Denise Roach, who he had met at a Tampa motel. Both women were brutally beaten, strangled, and left to die in a nearby pond, leading to Smithers's arrest when a pool of blood was discovered at the property he maintained.Court proceedings demonstrated that Smithers did not escape scrutiny even at his advanced age, as his lawyers submitted appeals citing age as a mitigating factor against his execution. However, the Florida Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court dismissed these arguments, ultimately leading to the execution being carried out. Smithers's case has reignited discussions regarding the death penalty in America, particularly the execution of elderly inmates, as Florida continues to lead the nation in executions this year.
