Death row inmate claims innocence with unsettling last words before execution for horrific crimes

David Joseph Pittman was executed yesterday

A death row inmate uttered some chilling final words as he proclaimed his innocence before his execution.

David Joseph Pittman had been on death row for over 30 years and was executed yesterday (September 17), marking the 12th execution in Florida this year.

Pittman, 63, was put to death by lethal injection and was sentenced to death in the early 1990s for the murder of his ex-girlfriend's parents, Clarence and Barbara Knowles, and their 20-year-old daughter, Bonnie.

In the middle of the night, the three were stabbed in their home, which was then set on fire.

It is believed he killed the family members because he was upset about Clarence and Barbara's daughter filing for divorce from him.

Although Pittman was charged with their murders, he has consistently claimed his innocence and maintained that he didn't commit the crime, a point he emphasized in his final words.

The inmate on death row was executed by lethal injection this week

Before his execution, he stated: "I know you all came to witness the State of Florida murder an innocent man. I am innocent. I didn’t kill anyone. That’s all."

Pittman's defense team had contended that he was too intellectually disabled to face execution under the US Constitution.

"The State of Florida is at significant risk of executing an intellectually disabled individual, which violates the Eighth Amendment," his lawyers wrote, according to USA Today.

The case highlighted that Pittman allegedly had an IQ of 70, which, as per the American Psychiatric Association, suggests he may have been Intellectually Disabled.

"Cognitive or intellectual functioning has traditionally been assessed using intelligence quotient (IQ) tests, with an IQ below 70 recommended for a clinical diagnosis of Intellectual Disability," the association states on its website.

In another context, the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities explains: "One method to assess intellectual functioning is through an IQ test. Typically, an IQ score of about 70 or up to 75 suggests a considerable limitation in intellectual functioning."

A judge rejected the attempts made by Pittman's lawyer, asserting that the convicted offender had planned the murders.

The Florida Attorney General's Office stated: "The evidence indicates that Pittman systematically planned the murders. He cut the phone lines prior to entering the home at night, stabbed and killed all three victims, and then set the house on fire."

It added: "In summary, any assertion that Pittman is intellectually disabled would directly confront substantial evidence of adaptive behavior."