Florida to execute Army veteran who was convicted of killing girlfriend, 3 young children

Florida is preparing Thursday to execute an Army seasoned convicted successful the 1998 shotgun killings of his woman and 3 young children. 

Jeffrey Hutchinson, 62, is acceptable to person a lethal injection starting astatine 6 p.m. astatine Florida State Prison adjacent Starke successful what volition beryllium the 4th execution successful the authorities truthful acold this year. 

Hutchinson has agelong claimed helium is innocent, and that 2 chartless assailants perpetrated the killings arsenic portion of a U.S. authorities conspiracy aimed astatine silencing him implicit his activism connected claims of Gulf War illnesses and different issues affecting veterans, according to the Associated Press. Hutchinson served 8 years successful the Army, portion of it arsenic an elite Ranger. 

In tribunal filings, Hutchinson's lawyers argued helium suffers from Gulf War Illness (GWI) -- a bid of wellness problems stemming from the 1990-1991 warfare successful Iraq -- arsenic good arsenic post-traumatic accent upset and paranoia related to his assertion that helium was targeted by authorities surveillance. 

FLORIDA EXECUTES CONVICTED MURDERER, CHILD RAPIST BY LETHAL INJECTION AFTER SCOTUS DENIES APPEALS 

Jeffrey Hutchinson is acceptable to beryllium executed successful Florida connected Thursday, May 1. (Florida Department of Corrections via AP)

The Department of Veterans Affairs describes GWI arsenic a "prominent information affecting Gulf War Veterans" with "medically unexplained chronic symptoms that tin see fatigue, headaches, associated pain, indigestion, insomnia, dizziness, respiratory disorders, tegument problems, and representation impairment.  

"According to a 2020 Department of Defense report, GWI is estimated to impact 175,000 to 250,000 Veterans of the astir 700,000 troops who were deployed to the Gulf War theatre of operations from 1990 to 1991. GWI affects Veterans who served successful the Army and the Marine Corps astatine higher rates than those who served successful the Navy and Air Force, and enlisted unit are affected much than others," it besides said. 

Court records amusement that connected the nighttime of the murders successful Crestview, Florida, Hutchinson had argued with his girlfriend, 32-year-old Renee Flaherty, past packed his apparel and guns into a truck. Hutchinson went to a barroom and drank immoderate beer, telling unit determination that Flaherty was aggravated with him earlier leaving abruptly, the AP reported. 

FLORIDA MAN WHO ADMITTED TO KILLING MIAMI HERALD EMPLOYEE IS EXECUTED 

Edward James, 63, was executed successful Florida successful March for the 1993 murders of 8-year-old Toni Neuner and her grandmother, 58-year-old Betty Dick. (Florida Department of Corrections)

A abbreviated clip later, a antheral caller told a 911 relation "I conscionable changeable my family" from the location Hutchinson and Flaherty shared with the 3 children: 9-year-old Geoffrey, 7-year-old Amanda, and 4-year-old Logan. All were killed with a 12-gauge shotgun that was recovered connected a room counter. Hutchinson was located by constabulary successful the store with a telephone inactive connected to the 911 halfway and gunshot residue connected his hands. 

At his 2001 trial, Hutchinson based his defence connected a assertion that 2 chartless men came to the house, sidesplitting Flaherty and the children aft helium struggled with them. A assemblage recovered Hutchinson blameworthy of 4 counts of first-degree murder, and helium was sentenced to beingness successful situation for Flaherty's sidesplitting and 3 decease sentences for the children. 

Last month, a justice rejected an entreaty from Hutchinson’s lawyers who were seeking to hold his execution day by claiming Hutchinson is insane and truthful cannot beryllium enactment to death. 

"This Court finds that Jeffrey Hutchinson does not person immoderate existent intelligence illness," the AP cited Bradford County Circuit Judge James Colaw arsenic saying successful his order. 

Michael Tanzi was executed successful Florida successful aboriginal April. (Florida Department of Corrections)

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So acold this year, 14 radical person been executed successful the U.S., including 3 successful Florida, with Hutchinson to go the fourth. A 5th Florida execution is scheduled for May 15 for Glen Rogers, who was convicted of sidesplitting a pistillate astatine a motel successful 1997. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.