Indiana executes Jeffrey Weisheit; two others set to be put to death in Florida and Alabama

Jeffrey Weisheit, a 50-year-old Indiana man convicted of killing his girlfriend’s two children in a house fire in 2010, was executed by lethal injection on Thursday, November 5. Two more executions are scheduled to take place in Florida and Alabama later the same day, marking the second time this year that three people are set to be put to death in the United States on the same day, according to the Associated Press (AP).Jeffrey Weisheit convicted of killing his girlfriend’s two children in a house fire in 2010, was executed by lethal injection on November 5. (AP Photo)Weisheit was convicted of setting fire to a home near Evansville, Indiana, killing his girlfriend’s children, aged 8 and 5. The murders were reportedly linked to the deteriorating relationship between Weisheit and the children's mother.His lawyers had appealed to Republican Governor Mike Braun to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment. They also sought permission for Weisheit to undergo brain scans, arguing that his history of head injuries and mental health problems should be considered. Braun rejected the requests.Also Read: Trump renews push for permanent daylight saving time, criticizes Senate over stalled billWeisheit's legal team also challenged the state's planned use of lethal-injection drugs purchased from a pharmacy facing a disciplinary hearing before the Indiana Pharmacy Board. However, the Indiana Department of Correction said it was confident in its ability to carry out the execution.Florida set to carry out 19th execution this yearFlorida is scheduled to execute Jesse Guardado, 64, for the 2004 murder of a 75-year-old woman in Walton County.Guardado confessed to stabbing the woman inside her home before stealing her jewellery box, $80 and other valuables to support his drug habit. The victim had previously helped him secure employment and housing.A federal appeals court ruled in 2024 that Guardado had received a full and fair hearing during the death penalty phase of his case.If carried out, the execution would mark Florida's 19th this year, matching the state's record set in 2025 under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. Florida has accounted for more than half of the 32 executions carried out across the US so far in 2026, AP reported.Alabama schedules execution of man convicted at 19Alabama is scheduled to execute Michael Taylor, 54, for killing an older couple during a robbery at their home in Gadsden 35 years ago.Also Read: US expands online immigration filing options, touts faster processing and fraud checksTaylor was 19 when he fatally beat the couple with a metal bar. Police arrested him in Birmingham, about an hour away, while he was driving the victims' Cadillac.Death penalty opponents urged Republican Governor Kay Ivey to commute Taylor's sentence to life imprisonment, citing his age at the time of the killings. Ivey declined the request.Taylor is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection after a judge ruled that the nitrogen gas method was unconstitutional. His lawyers challenged the last-minute switch, arguing that he had selected nitrogen gas as his execution method several years ago. A judge rejected the challenge.The three scheduled executions come amid renewed scrutiny of capital punishment following Tennessee's failed attempt to execute Christa Pike last month. Pike survived two lethal doses of pentobarbital, while courts have rejected attempts to halt other executions since the incident.(Edited by Asmi)