State of Florida v. Joseph P. Smith
State of Florida v. Joseph P. Smith
Opinion of the Court
This case is before the Court on appeal from an order granting a successive motion to vacate a sentence of death under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851. Because the order concerns postconviction relief from a sentence of death, we have jurisdiction. Art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla. Const.
FACTS AND BACKGROUND
This Court has previously detailed the gruesome facts of this case. Smith v. State (Smith I ),
Smith subsequently filed a motion for postconviction relief raising numerous challenges, including a Ring
On January 5, 2017, after the issuance of Hurst v. Florida , --- U.S. ----,
ANALYSIS
Smith contends that he is entitled to relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court's opinion in Hurst v. Florida , which held that Florida's capital sentencing scheme was unconstitutional because "[t]he Sixth Amendment requires a jury, not a judge, to find each fact necessary to impose a sentence of death. A jury's mere recommendation is not enough."
*810Hurst applies retroactively to defendants whose sentences became final after the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Ring . Mosley ,
Accordingly, we must determine whether the Hurst error during Smith's penalty phase proceeding was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. "[I]n the context of a Hurst v. Florida error, the burden is on the State, as the beneficiary of the error, to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the jury's failure to unanimously find all the facts necessary for imposition of the death penalty did not contribute to [the] death sentence ...." Hurst ,
We conclude that the State cannot establish that the error in Smith's case was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. In Smith's case, the jury did not make the requisite factual findings and did not unanimously recommend a sentence of death. Instead, the jury recommended the sentence of death by a vote of ten to two. Therefore, this Court has no way of knowing if the jury unanimously found any of the five valid aggravating factors-(1) Smith committed the felony while he was on probation; (2) the murder was committed while Smith was engaged in the commission of a sexual battery or kidnapping; (3) the murder was committed for the purpose of avoiding lawful arrest; (4) HAC; and (5) the victim was under twelve years of age-that the aggravating factors were sufficient to impose a death sentence, or whether the aggravating factors outweighed the mitigating circumstances. Further, this Court cannot speculate why the two jurors who voted to recommend a sentence of life imprisonment determined that a sentence of death was not the appropriate punishment. Thus, in line with our post- Hurst precedent,
CONCLUSION
Therefore, we affirm the postconviction court's order granting Smith a new penalty phase.
It is so ordered.
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, and QUINCE, JJ., concur.
CANADY and POLSTON, JJ., dissent.
LAWSON, J., dissents with an opinion.
As we stated in Smith I ,
The trial court determined that the State had proven beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of six statutory aggravators: (1) Smith committed the felony while he was on probation, see § 921.141(5)(a), Fla. Stat. (2003) (moderate weight); (2) the murder was committed while Smith was engaged in the commission of a sexual battery or kidnapping, see § 921.141(5)(d), Fla. Stat. (2003) (significant weight); (3) the murder was committed for the purpose of avoiding lawful arrest, see § 921.141(5)(e), Fla. Stat. (2003) (great weight); (4) the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel (HAC), see § 921.141(5)(h), Fla. Stat. (2003) (great weight); (5) the murder was cold, calculated, and premeditated (CCP), see § 921.141(5)(i), Fla. Stat. (2003) (great weight); and (6) the victim was under twelve years of age, see § 921.141(5)(l), Fla. Stat. (2003) (great weight).
The trial court concluded that Smith had failed to prove the existence of any statutory mitigating circumstances. The trial court found a total of thirteen non-statutory mitigating circumstances: (1) a long and well-documented history of mental illness (moderate weight); (2) a long and well-documented history of drug abuse (moderate weight); (3) longstanding severe pain from back injuries that contributed to his addiction (little weight); (4) Smith repeatedly sought help for his problems (little weight); (5) Smith was repeatedly denied treatment or received inadequate treatment (little weight); (6) positive qualities, including-(a) skills as a mechanic, plumber, and carpenter; (b) performance of kind deeds for others; (c) love and support with his family; (d) despite his incarceration, attempts to exert a positive influence on family members; (e) artistic skills; and (f) he cares about animals (moderate weight); (7) providing information that led to the resolution of this case (very little weight); (8) his family assisted law enforcement with Smith's knowledge and cooperation (slight weight); (9) demonstration of spiritual growth (moderate weight); (10) maintenance of gainful employment (slight weight); (11) he is a loving father to his three daughters (moderate weight); (12) remorse (little weight); and (13) he is amenable to rehabilitation and a productive life in prison (little weight).
Ring v. Arizona ,
E.g. , Mosley ,
Dissenting Opinion
*811See Pagan v. State ,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Joseph P. SMITH, Appellee.
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published