TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday temporarily put a hold on the execution of Duane Eugene Owen and ordered a psychiatric evaluation of the Death Row inmate after his lawyers argued that he may be insane.
Owen, 62, is slated to be executed by lethal injection on June 15. But DeSantis issued an executive order calling for three psychiatrists to evaluate Owen.
According to the order, Owen’s lawyers sent a letter to the governor that included a neuropsychologist’s “recent evaluation” saying that Owen “meets the criteria for insanity.” A Miami Beach clinical psychologist evaluated Owen last week and determined he meets the criteria of schizophrenia, according to court records.