Supreme Court of Florida

Defendant's first degree murder conviction and other crimes is affirmed where: 1) the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting evidence of inextricably intertwined collateral crimes as they were relevant; 2) the defendant knowingly waived his right to a penalty-phase jury, and thus has also waived his Ring challenge. Moreover, where a death sentence is supported by the prior-violent felony aggravating circumstance, Florida's capital-sentencing scheme does not violate Ring; and 3) there is competent, substantial evidence which supports the judgments and sentences entered by the trial court.

Appellate Information

• Decided 09/04/2009
• Published 09/04/2009

Judges

• PER CURIAM.

Court

• Supreme Court of Florida

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Byron P. Hileman, Jr., Winter Haven, FL, for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Bill McCollum, Attorney General, Tallahassee, FL, and Stephen D. Ake, Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, FL, for Appellee.