ACLU Issues Disturbing Statement on Execution of Florida Death Row Inmate

The state of Florida executed Duane Owen, one of the state’s longest-held death row inmates, for the separate murders in 1984.

Florida executed death row inmate Duane Owen by lethal injection on Thursday evening, nearly four decades after he murdered a 14-year-old babysitter and a single mother of two in separate attacks. https://t.co/bB2Up7FDZj

— CNN (@CNN) June 17, 2023

Owen was executed for “killing a 14-year-old babysitter and a 38-year-old mother of two in separate attacks months apart in 1984 while children were sleeping in the homes he targeted,” CBS News reports.

The report stated Owen also raped the two victims.

From CBS News:

Duane Owen was pronounced dead at 6:14 p.m. after a lethal injection at Florida State Prison, according to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office. One of Florida’s longest-held death row inmates, Owen was 23 at the time of the attacks and 62 when he was executed.

Owen declined to make a final statement. The procedure began at 6:01 p.m., with Owen’s arms twitching and his breathing becoming heavier as the sedative took effect. The warden made sure Owen was unconscious before before lethal drugs were administered.

Owen was sentenced to death for the March 24, 1984, rape and fatal stabbing of Karen Slattery, 14, and for the rape and deadly hammer attack two months later on Georgianna Worden, 38. Both killings occurred in Palm Beach County.

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Authorities said Owen attacked two other women in Palm Beach County who survived. All four attacks occurred just before and after Owen’s 23rd birthday. Of the more than 290 people on Florida’s death row, Owen was one of the longest held there.

Debbie Johnson, younger sister of Karen Slattery, spoke about Duane Owen’s execution:

Debbie Johnson, younger sister of Karen Slattery, said that Duane Owen did not open his eyes and he made no verbal statement. "He died with dignity and unfortunately his victims did not." https://t.co/M4zOuQM00f pic.twitter.com/CxWRB89Tdy

— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) June 15, 2023

Debbie Johnson, said she was a 10-year-old fifth grader when her sister was murdered by Duane Owen. "I was no longer a child at that point in time." https://t.co/M4zOuQM00f pic.twitter.com/GbmYbGhlCR

— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) June 15, 2023

Debbi Johnson says she wrote Gov. DeSantis and asked him to help move forward with the execution of Duane Owen. pic.twitter.com/aPGRMdPeGn

— Pete Burke (@PeteBurke) June 16, 2023

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claimed Owen suffered “cruel and unusual punishment.”

Why?

Because the state of Florida never provided “medically necessary gender-affirming care.”

“The state of Florida never provided medically necessary gender-affirming care to Duane Owen — causing her enormous suffering and violating her right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment for the more than 30 years she was in state custody,” the ACLU wrote.

“In legal papers she drafted, Owen wrote that she “should be accorded the ‘essence of human dignity’ and be allowed to become ‘who she was meant to be'” before her death. No one should be killed by the state. The time to end the racist, unfair and cruel death penalty is now,” the ACLU added.

In legal papers she drafted, Owen wrote that she "should be accorded the 'essence of human dignity' and be allowed to become 'who she was meant to be'" before her death.

No one should be killed by the state. The time to end the racist, unfair and cruel death penalty is now. pic.twitter.com/EsT17NkVR1

— ACLU (@ACLU) June 16, 2023

Critics blasted the ACLU for its barbaric statement:

Duane Owen was executed for killing a 14-year-old babysitter and a 38-year-old mother of two.

ACLU is a shameful organization that’s helping to destroy this country. They once had values. Now they’re… this. https://t.co/eH677jPhGl

— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) June 17, 2023

Duane Owen raped&fatally stabbed 14yr old Karen Slattery

He raped&killed 38yr old Georgianna Worden. One of her children found her dead

He attacked 2 more women who survived

He wasn’t a woman

&no decent person cares what nonsense he believed about himself

You are a disgrace https://t.co/Vx670WhJIw

— Lorelei 🌕🧙🏻‍♀️🕸🍄 (@hatpinwoman) June 17, 2023

Duane Owen stabbed a 14-year-old babysitter to death and raped her corpse. In a separate incident, he stabbed a single mother to death and also raped her.

The @aclu's main concern here is the fact that this monster did not receive "gender affirming care" while on death row. https://t.co/QzcuWxdLvx pic.twitter.com/hdbc2x7Gqt

— 𝕃𝕠𝕘𝕚𝕔-𝕏 (@logicbot3000) June 17, 2023

The ACLU is upset because the state of Florida executed Duane Owen without ever providing "her" with "medically-necessary" sex change treatments.

Duane Owen raped and murdered two people, including a child. https://t.co/p9DFFB4sal

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 17, 2023

Duane Owen was executed for killing 14-year-old Karen Slattery whom he repeatedly stabbed and raped in a home in Delray Beach while two children in her care were sleeping nearby. Pedos don’t get their pronouns honored Get ratioed, ACLU. https://t.co/zRINV9AJgg

— The Redheaded libertarian (@TRHLofficial) June 17, 2023