James Duckett: Florida Supreme Court OKs additional DNA testing

The Florida Supreme Court issued a ruling on Thursday allowing further DNA testing, continuing the stay of James Duckett's execution. In its ruling, Duckett wants the full results of the DNA testing he requested earlier and to have those results analyzed by a qualified bioinformaticist. Duckett, a former Mascotte Police Officer, was sentenced to death after being convicted in the 1987 rape and murder of 11-year-old Teresa McAbee. He was set to be executed on March 31, but that was stayed after a last-minute request to conduct DNA testing of a sample found on the girl's jeans. Those results came back inconclusive, records stated. Teresa McAbee was out with a 16-year-old boy on May 11, 1987. Both were approached by Duckett, a Mascotte Police Officer at the time. He allegedly told the girl to get in his patrol vehicle. She was reported missing. The next day, her body was found in Knight Lake.