Justia Criminal Law Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Glen Edward Rogers’ motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Rogers 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). Rogers was sentenced to death following a jury’s unanimous recommendation for death. Rogers’ sentence of death became final in 2001. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Rogers’ sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Rogers’ motion. View "Rogers v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Bruce Douglas Pace’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Pace 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). Pace was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of seven to five. Pace’s sentence of death became final in 1992. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Pace’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Pace’s motion. View "Pace v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Dominick A. Occhicone’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Occhicone 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). Occhicone was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of seven to five. Occhicone’s sentence of death became final in 1991. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Occhicone’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Occhicone’s motion. View "Occhicone v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Marbel Mendoza’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Mendoza 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). Mendoza was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of seven to five. Mendoza’s sentence of death became final in 1998. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Mendoza’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Mendoza’s motion. View "Mendoza v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Thomas Lee Gudinas’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Gudinas 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). Gudinas was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of ten to two. Gudinas’s sentence of death became final in 1997. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Gudinas’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Gudinas’s motion. View "Gudinas v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Anthony Lamarca’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Lamarca 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). Lamarca was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eleven to one. Lamarca’s sentence of death became final in 2001. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Lamarca’s sentence of death and, accordingly, affirmed the denial of Lamarca’s motion. View "Lamarca v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court denied Petitioner’s petition seeking a writ of habeas corpus 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). Petitioner was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eight to four. Petitioner’s sentence of death became final in 2001. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Petitioner’s sentence of death and thus denied Petitioner’s petition. View "Booker v. Jones" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court denied Toney Deron Davis’s petition seeking a writ of habeas corpus 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). Davis was sentenced to death following a jury’s recommendation for death by a vote of eleven to one. Davis’s sentence of death became final in 1998. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Davis’s sentence of death and, accordingly, denied Davis’s petition. View "Davis v. Jones" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Robert Joe Long’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Long 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). Long was sentenced to death following a jury’s unanimous recommendation for death. Long’s sentence of death became final in 1993. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Long’s sentence of death and thus affirmed the denial of Long’s motion. View "Long v. State" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the circuit court’s order denying Robert Joe Long’s motion filed under Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.851, holding that Long 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). Long was sentenced to death following a jury’s unanimous recommendation for death. Long’s sentence of death became final in 1993. The Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Long’s sentence of death and thus affirmed the denial of Long’s motion. View "Long v. State" on Justia Law