Florida death row inmate seeks stay of execution seeking DNA evidence in 1996 crime
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorneys asked the Supreme Court Monday to stay the execution of a Florida death…
On August 11, 2025, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a death warrant for Daniel Conahan Jr., a 72-year-old inmate on death row. Conahan is set to be executed by lethal injection on Thursday for the 1996 kidnapping and strangulation of Richard Montgomery. Montgomery's body was found in a wooded area in Charlotte County, Florida, which authorities described as a likely dumping ground filled with trash.
Conahan claims he is innocent of Montgomery's murder and has been requesting DNA testing since March 2025 to prove his innocence. The state's postconviction court denied his motion for DNA testing within 24 hours of Governor DeSantis signing the death warrant. Conahan's attorneys have filed a petition with the Supreme Court, seeking a stay of execution to review his claims.
The petition states that Conahan does not seek to be declared innocent or released from prison; he simply wants the Court to evaluate his meritorious claims before his execution.
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