Grim v. State
Grim v. State
Opinion of the Court
Norman Mearle Grim, a prisoner under sentence of death, appeals the circuit court's order summarily denying his first successive motion for postconviction relief, which was filed under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla. Const.
In 2000, a jury convicted Grim of first-degree murder and sexual battery upon a person twelve years of age or older with use of a deadly weapon. After hearing evidence at the penalty phase, the jury unanimously recommended the death sentence by a vote of twelve to zero. We affirmed Grim's convictions and sentence of death on direct appeal. Grim v. State ,
In June 2016, Grim filed his current first successive postconviction motion in which he sought relief based on Hurst v. Florida (Hurst v. Florida ), --- U.S. ----,
In Davis , this Court held that a jury's unanimous recommendation of death is "precisely what we determined in Hurst to be constitutionally necessary to impose a sentence of death" because a "jury unanimously f[inds] all of the necessary facts for the imposition of [a] death sentence[ ] by virtue of its unanimous recommendation[ ]." Davis ,
Accordingly, because we find that any Hurst error in this case was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, we affirm the circuit court's order summarily denying Grim's first successive motion for postconviction relief.
It is so ordered.
LABARGA, C.J., and LEWIS and LAWSON, JJ., concur.
CANADY and POLSTON, JJ., concur in result.
PARIENTE, J., dissents with an opinion, in which QUINCE, J., concurs.
The fact that Grim declined to present mitigation to the jury during the penalty phase has no bearing here. Grim's waiver of that right was valid, and he "cannot subvert the right to jury factfinding by waiving that right and then suggesting that a subsequent development in the law has fundamentally undermined his sentence." Jones v. State ,
Dissenting Opinion
The majority relies on the jury's unanimous recommendation for death to determine that the Hurst
FACTS
After being convicted of first-degree murder and sexual battery upon a person twelve years of age or older with the use of a deadly weapon, Grim "insisted on not presenting any mitigation" to the jury during the penalty phase. Grim v. State (Grim I ),
Despite the absence of mitigating evidence, pursuant to this Court's opinion in Muhammad v. State ,
After the Spencer hearing, the trial court found three aggravating factors, three statutory mitigating circumstances, and five nonstatutory mitigating circumstances. Grim I ,
As to statutory mental mitigation, the trial court's sentencing order explained that the evidence presented by special counsel-which included the deposition testimony of psychologist Dr. James Larson and a 1983 psychiatric evaluation by Dr. B. R. Ogburn-established the following: (1) Grim "suffers from an impulse-control disorder known as 'intermittent explosive disorder ' along with a depressive disorder"; (2) a diagnosis of "antisocial personality disorder"; (3) a diagnosis of "having a '[p]ersonality disorder, mixed type with avoidant, antisocial and passive-aggressive features' "; and (4) at the time of the murder, Grim "was taking two medications, Prozac and Depakote, which were targeted for the intermittent explosive disorder," however the impact of the medications was not established.
As to other statutory mitigating circumstances, the trial court determined that Grim (1) "had a disruptive home life," which "certainly had an impact upon him," (2) had a "shining" employment background since returning to Northwest Florida *150on parole from Texas; (3) had "a history of alcohol usage," which included being "discharged from the military for substance related charges," and (4) "suffers from significant, long-term mental problems." This Court's case law makes clear "the importance and significance of this kind of mitigation evidence." Williams v. State ,
As to nonstatutory mitigating circumstances, the trial court determined that Grim (1) received psychiatric care in 1983; (2) "was in the throes of a divorce at the time of this murder" and "had even sought legal advice from his victim"; (3) makes " 'appalling errors of judgment' when under stress"; (4) had "been a model inmate ... for over two years while awaiting trial"; and (5) "was first confined for a short time while in the Navy" at twenty-two years old. After weighing the aggravation and mitigation and "duly consider[ing] the jury recommendation," the trial court sentenced Grim to death.
On direct appeal, consistent with Muhammad , this Court denied Grim's claim that the trial court should have required special counsel to present mitigation evidence to the penalty phase jury, stating: "We ... continue to hold that a trial court should not be required to appoint special counsel for purposes of presenting mitigating evidence to a penalty phase jury if the defendant has knowingly and voluntarily waived the presentation of such evidence." Grim I ,
ANALYSIS
In 1978, in Goode v. State ,
[E]ven though [the defendant] expressed a desire to be executed, this Court must, nevertheless, examine the record to be sure that the imposition of the death sentence complies with all of the standards set by the Constitution, the Legislature and the courts.
Concurring specially in Muhammad , I set forth a proposed procedure for trial courts appointing special counsel to present mitigation to the jury when a defendant waives the same:
Because of the tremendous responsibilities placed on the trial court and this Court in death penalty cases, rather than leave the appointment of counsel to the trial court's discretion on a case-by-case basis, I would thus adopt a prospective rule that would provide for the appointment of special counsel to present available mitigation for the benefit of the jury , the trial court and this Court in order to assist the judiciary in performing our statutory and constitutional obligations.
In 2017, on remand from the United States Supreme Court's decision in Hurst v. Florida , this Court made clear in Hurst that the death penalty "must be reserved only for defendants convicted of the most aggravated and least mitigated of murders," as determined by a jury.
*151Kaczmar ,
Regardless of whether this Court alters the requirements of Muhammad , it is clear that trial courts and litigants have an independent obligation to ensure that the jury, as sentencer, receives all the necessary information to make the constitutionally required findings of fact before recommending a sentence of death. See Hurst ,
Aside from addressing this issue prospectively, the question arises how a defendant waiving mitigation affects whether a Hurst error is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. As I explained in Muhammad , "[a]lthough the defendant may have a right to plead guilty, the defendant has no corresponding 'right' after conviction to have the death penalty imposed based on a waiver of the right to present mitigation."
As the United States Supreme Court stated in Porter v. McCollum ,
THIS CASE
Hurst applies retroactively to Grim's sentence of death, which became final in 2003. See Mosley v. State ,
CONCLUSION
For the reasons fully explained above, I cannot conclude that the Hurst error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt and would, therefore, reverse and remand for a new penalty phase.
Accordingly, I dissent.
QUINCE, J., concurs.
Hurst v. State (Hurst ),
Koon v. Dugger ,
Spencer v. State ,
The sentencing order stated that although "Dr. Larson was comfortable in saying the murder did not occur while the Defendant was 'experiencing psychosis in the sense of responding to delusions or hallucinations,' ... Dr. Larson could not rule out some kind of drug interaction with the Defendant's disorders."
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Norman Mearle GRIM v. STATE of Florida
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- 7 cases
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- Published