US EditionFlorida Man Convicted of Raping and Killing a Young Mother Is Set for Execution
Michael King will be Florida's fourth execution in 2026, following his conviction for abducting, raping, and murdering Denise Amber Lee in 2008.
- At Florida State Prison just after 6 p.m., officials executed Michael Lee King, 54, using a three‑drug lethal‑injection protocol for the 2008 murder case.
- During the 2008 abduction, Denise Amber Lee called 911 using King's cellphone to plead for help, but at least four other calls went unanswered or delayed, prompting reforms.
- Records obtained show repeated protocol lapses including expired drugs and incomplete documentation, while medical experts warned etomidate can cause flash pulmonary edema, and witnesses to recent executions reported twitching and convulsions.
- Last week, Florida Supreme Court denied appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected King's final appeal Monday, amid advocacy activity urging DeSantis to halt the execution.
- Florida's high execution rate positions it at the center of national debate, with 19 executions last year and attorneys challenging record access, while Justice Sonia Sotomayor called it a 'Catch‑22'.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Michael King, 54 years old, was sentenced to death in 2009 for the murder of Denise Lee, 21 years old at the time of the crime.
Michael King, 54, was executed in Florida on Tuesday after being convicted of the 2009 rape and murder of 21-year-old Denise Amber Lee. A year earlier, he abducted her from her home's terrace at gunpoint in broad daylight, raped her and murdered her. The case also exposed shortcomings in emergency response, USA Today reported.
Florida Executes Man Who Raped, Killed Young Mother
A Florida man was executed Tuesday evening for the rape and murder of a young mother who frantically called 911 on her attacker's cellphone while she was tied up in his car. Michael Lee King, 54, was pronounced dead at 6:13pm following a lethal injection at Florida State Prison...
Michael King was put to death by injection - What the victim's family said after the execution - It was the 4th execution in Florida and 7th overall in the US in 2026
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