STARKE, Fla. — The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that Thursday night’s execution of Edward James may proceed.
James, 63, is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection at 8 p.m. at Florida State Prison.
He has filed multiple appeals through the lower courts, which were all denied. The nation’s high court denied the final appeal Thursday afternoon.
James was convicted of the Sept. 19, 1993, murders of 8-year old Toni Neuner and her grandmother, 58-year-old Betty Dick.
James was renting a room in Dick’s Casselberry home when he killed them. Prosecutors say he drank heavily and took drugs the night he raped and strangled the child and stabbed Dick to death.
Three other children in the house that night were not harmed.
Authorities say James was later captured in California after driving Dick’s car across the country.
His attorneys argued James had “cognitive decline” and questioned if executing him would violate legalities on cruel and unusual punishment.
James pleaded guilty to the killings and was also convicted of the girl’s rape and stealing Dick’s jewelry and car.
A jury recommended the death penalty despite his guilty pleas.
James’ execution will be Florida’s second one this year.
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