David Pittman is a person with intellectual disability. And yet, he is facing execution on Wednesday, September 17 at 6 pm ET for the 1990 killings of Clarence and Barbara Knowles and their daughter, Bonnie. These acts were serious and tragic, but the death penalty is not an appropriate punishment. This execution would not only violate the U.S. Constitution, but would place Florida among the few jurisdictions willing to ignore categorical protections recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Moreover, his scheduled execution comes amid a troubling spree: Governor DeSantis has already overseen more executions in 2025 than any other governor in the modern history of Florida. This rapid pace leaves little room for careful review and amplifies the risks of injustice. The quest for “justice” must never be rushed past reason.

For decades, Mr. Pittman’s record has documented cognitive impairments: IQ scores of 70 and 71 before the age of 18, placement in special education classes, and diagnoses reflecting brain damage consistent with congenital impairment. More recent evaluations confirm he meets every medical and legal criterion for intellectual disability (Atkins v. Virginia and Hall v. Florida). Still, Floria courts, citing shifting and inconsistent interpretations of retroactivity, have repeatedly blocked him from even presenting this evidence.

This is procedural gamesmanship with a human life at stake. The Florida Supreme Court recognized in Walls v. State that Hall must apply retroactively to all cases. But only four years later, the DeSantis-appointed majority reversed course and srtripped away that safeguard (Phillips v. State). This decision left people like David Pittman vulnerable to unconstitutional executions. Even Mr. Pittman’s trial court recently acknowledged its concern that Florida may indeed be preparing to execute an intellectually disabled man, but claimed it was bound by precedent to let the execution proceed.

Mr. Pittman’s execution will not bring healing or safety — it will only deepen the cruelty and arbitrariness of Florida’s death penalty system. Florida has already carried out an unprecedented number of executions in 2025. To add to that toll by killing a man who is categorically ineligible for execution under the Constitution will be yet another grave miscarriage of justice and stain on our state.

The death penalty is irreversible. A life without parole sentence protects society and ensures punishment and accountability.

Sign the petition now.

Last updated September 2, 2025