STARKE, Fla. — A former Mascotte police officer convicted of raping and killing an 11-year-old girl is again facing execution after the Florida Supreme Court lifted a stay that had temporarily delayed his death sentence.
James Duckett was convicted nearly 40 years ago in the 1986 murder of Teresa McAbee.
Prosecutors said Duckett, who was an officer with the Mascotte Police Department at the time, was responsible for the child’s death.
The court’s decision came after new DNA evidence did not clear Duckett of the crime.
The evidence had been reviewed as part of legal efforts to challenge his conviction, but it did not result in an exoneration.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Duckett’s death warrant in February, setting the process in motion for his execution.
A date for Duckett’s execution has not yet been announced.
Duckett’s case has remained active in the courts for decades as attorneys continued to pursue appeals and challenges to his conviction.
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