Justia Criminal Law Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Alvin Leroy Morton’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Morton was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Morton was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eleven to one on both counts. Derrick’s sentence of death became final in 2001. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Morton’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Morton’s motion. View "Morton v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying George Michael Hodges’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Hodges was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Hodges was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Hodges’s sentence of death became final in 1993. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Hodges’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Hodges’s motion. View "Hodges v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying George Michael Hodges’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Hodges was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Hodges was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Hodges’s sentence of death became final in 1993. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Hodges’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Hodges’s motion. View "Hodges v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Emanuel Johnson’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Johnson was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Johnson was sentenced to death for one count of murder following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eight to four. Johnson was also sentenced to death for a second count of murder following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Johnson’s sentences of death became final in 1996. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Johnson’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Johnson’s motion. View "Johnson v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Emanuel Johnson’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Johnson was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Johnson was sentenced to death for one count of murder following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eight to four. Johnson was also sentenced to death for a second count of murder following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Johnson’s sentences of death became final in 1996. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Johnson’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Johnson’s motion. View "Johnson v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Gary Lawrence’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Lawrence was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Lawrence was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of nine to three. Lawrence’s sentence of death became final in 1998. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Lawrence’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Lawrence’s motion. View "Lawrence v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Gary Lawrence’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Lawrence was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Lawrence was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of nine to three. Lawrence’s sentence of death became final in 1998. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Lawrence’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Lawrence’s motion. View "Lawrence v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Samuel Jason Derrick’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Derrick was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Derrick was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of seven to five. Derrick’s sentence of death became final in 1995. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Derrick’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Derrick’s motion. View "Derrick v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Samuel Jason Derrick’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Derrick was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Derrick was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of seven to five. Derrick’s sentence of death became final in 1995. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Derrick’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Derrick’s motion. View "Derrick v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Michael Allen Griffin’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Griffin was not entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and this court’s decision on remand in Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016). Griffin was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Griffin’s sentence of death became final in 1995. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Griffin’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Griffin’s motion. View "Griffin v. State" on Justia Law