The lethal injections several hours apart were the first nearly back-to-back executions since Arkansas put two men to death three hours apart in 2017. DeSantis, who has the authority under Florida law to set execution dates, decided earlier this month to carry out both executions on the same day. His execution came nearly five hours after the former police officer, James Aren Duckett, 68, received a lethal dose in the same death chamber. Many on Florida's death row have been there decadesDeSantis hasn’t said why he scheduled two executions hours apart. All Florida executions are by injection of a sedative, a paralytic and a drug that stops the heart, according to the Department of Corrections.