Supreme Court of Florida

Convictions of defendant for first degree murder and related crimes and sentnece of death are affirmed where: 1) defendant's plea was knowing, intelligent, and voluntary, and he was made aware of the consequences of his plea, was apprised of the constitutional rights he was waiving, and pled guilty voluntarily; 2) trial court acted properly in appointing independent counsel, who did not represent defendant but was directed to assist the court by investigating and presenting mitigation; 3) defendant's claim that the trial court erred when it considered the comprehensive pre-sentence investigation report over his objection is rejected; and 4) the death sentence is proportionate when considered in light of other death sentences that has been affirmed involving similar circumstances of murder, similar aggravators, and similar mitigation.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/04/2010
• Published 02/04/2010

Judges

• PER CURIAM.

Court

• Supreme Court of Florida

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• James S. Purdy, Public Defender, and George D.E. Burden, Assistant Public Defender, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Daytona Beach, Florida, for Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Bill McCollum, Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, and Barbara C. Davis, Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach, Florida, for Appellee.