TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday halted the scheduled execution of James Aren Duckett, a former police officer convicted in the 1987 rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl, pending the results of court-ordered DNA testing.
The court issued a stay of Duckett’s execution, which had been set for March 31 at Florida State Prison near Starke. In a 6-1 order, justices directed the state to complete DNA testing on a swab from the victim’s underwear and file a status report by 5 p.m. Friday. The testing was approved but had not yet been conducted, according to court documents.
Duckett, 68, was convicted in 1988 of the rape, choking and drowning of Teresa McAbee in Lake County. He served as a Mascotte police officer at the time of the crime. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Duckett’s death warrant earlier this month, marking one of several executions scheduled in Florida this year. The state carried out multiple executions in 2025 and has continued at a steady pace in 2026.
Duckett’s legal team has long maintained his innocence and sought advanced DNA testing on remaining evidence. The Florida Supreme Court previously approved the testing, which involves modern techniques not available at the time of the original trial. Prosecutors have opposed further delays, arguing the conviction was supported by other evidence presented at trial.
The case has drawn attention due to Duckett’s background as a law enforcement officer and questions raised over the years about the reliability of certain witness testimony and forensic evidence from the late 1980s. The stay provides time for laboratory analysis that could potentially exonerate or further implicate Duckett.
As of Friday, the execution remains on hold pending further order from the court. The DNA testing process continues, with results expected to influence the next steps in the case. Florida Department of Corrections officials have not commented publicly on the stay beyond confirming the original schedule.
