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Thread: Christian Theodore Sentenced to Life in 2014 FL Murder of Jonathan Jeffery

  1. #1
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Christian Theodore Sentenced to Life in 2014 FL Murder of Jonathan Jeffery


    Jonathan Jeffery




    Prosecutors could seek death for Theodore

    By Carlos R. Munoz
    The Sarasota Herald-Times

    State prosecutors will seek the death penalty in the trial of Christian Theodore, who is charged with murder and armed robbery in connection with the home invasion death of Jonathan Jeffery on Dec. 14, 2014.

    Theodore's trial for 1st-degree murder begins with jury selection Dec. 12, nearly 2 years to the day Jeffery, 25, was killed in front of his wife, Brandi Jeffery, with a single shot to the head.

    The death penalty has been in limbo since January, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Florida's death penalty law, which required 7 jurors to approve death and left the final decision up to the judge, was unconstitutional.

    In March, the Florida Legislature approved a measure that increased the number of jurors needed to approve death to 10, allowing juries the final decision to impose capital punishment.

    Seven months later, the Florida Supreme Court once again nixed the death penalty law in a 5-2 vote because it did not require juries to come to a unanimous decision. The U.S. Supreme Court and state ruling overturned the new measure based on a case brought by convicted murderer, Timothy Lee Hurst.

    Since the law was struck down Oct. 14, the Legislature has been in recess and unable to update language in the death penalty law to reflects the state court's ruling. Lawmakers are back in session on March 7.

    "The death penalty is in a state of flux right now,' Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig said. "Right now, the death penalty for all intents and purposes is on hold. It's still constitutional."

    Speedy trial demand

    Theodore, who has been jailed since Jan. 5, 2015, has demanded a speedy trial.

    He is 1 of 5 people charged in the death of Jeffery, who was asleep in a bedroom with his wife, Brandi Jeffery, when 4 men crashed through a glass lanai at around 5:34 a.m. Dec. 14, 2014, and entered their apartment.

    The men allegedly ordered the couple to lay on their stomachs and zip tied their hands behind their backs. The men then ransacked the house demanding to know "where it is...," according to Brandi Jeffery. Jonathan

    Jeffery directed them to a closet where a backpack with drugs and money was hidden.

    In addition to the backpack, the men took cell phones and an Xbox.

    Brandi Jeffery later told deputies during an interview her husband had started dealing drugs because they were struggling financially.

    The Jeffery's 17-month-old daughter was asleep in another bedroom and their niece and nephew - 12-year-old twins - were lying on a couch. None of them were harmed.

    Brandi Jeffery said one of the men holding a gun to her husband's head fired a single shot that killed him. The men left through the broken lanai.

    Shakoy Gale, 23, Aenri Ellis, 29, and Byron Jones, 27, have all been found guilty of murder and related charges. They were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    2 others, Azalea Mendoza, 21, and Vincent Gonzalez, 27, pleaded no contest to lesser charges and have agreed to testify against Theodore in the upcoming trial. Mendoza is the mother to Theodore's 2 children.

    Mendoza was charged with accessory to murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Gonzalez was given 28 years for 2nd-degree murder.
    Waiting on lawmakers

    Fraivillig said Theodore could be charged on the "guilt phase," but if he is convicted the courts must wait for the Legislature to bring the current death penalty law up to date before they can sentence him.

    "We would have to pick an all new jury who never heard the facts and re-educate them," Fraivillig said. "It leaves the state at a disadvantage."

    For years, the Florida Legislature has been warned that the state's death penalty statue was unconstitutional, and now the courts have taken it out of lawmakers' hands, said Michael Barfield, a Sarasota paralegal and vice president of the Florida American Civil Liberties Union.

    "We require a unanimous jury in every other situation short of death," Barfield said. "It is required now, but why we didn't require it for death penalty, which is the ultimate penalty, has always been a mystery to us."

    Barfield called the state court's latest ruling on the death penalty almost a final blow to executions in Florida.

    "It would seem to me that it would be unwise to proceed with a capital trial under the current framework the Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional if the case isn't scheduled to conclude before the end of the legislative session.

    "I do believe death penalty is broken. We should just end it once and for all and stop wasting our resources," he said.

    http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...h-for-theodore
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  2. #2
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Theodore guilty of murder in armed home invasion

    A Sarasota County jury found Christian Theodore, 23, guilty of first-degree murder and armed home-invasion robbery for the 2014 slaying of Jonathan "J.J." Jeffery.

    Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty for the gang-related killing, which resulted in numerous arrests.

    As the court clerk read the verdict aloud, Theodore showed no emotion.

    "Tell my babies I love them," Theodore said to his mother as he was being escorted out of the courtroom.

    "You know I will," his mother replied.

    Two of Theodore's co-defendants - Azalea Mendoza, 21, and Vincent Gonzalez, 27 - accepted plea deals in exchange for their testimony against Theodore during the week-long trial.

    Three other defendants involved in the murder - Shakoy Gale, 23, Aenri Ellis, 29, and Byron Jones, 27 - were each previously found guilty of murder and related charges and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    Prosecutors say Theodore shot Jeffery, 25, who was asleep with his wife, after Theodore and others burst "commando style" into Jeffery's home in the Summerside condominium complex.

    Court documents and testimony showed that Mendoza had driven the men to and from St. Petersburg, trips captured on several security cameras near Jeffery's house, at a Walmart and a tollbooth.

    Security video showed three of the men buying gloves and zip ties at Walmart on Cattlemen Road approximately two-and-a-half hours before the slaying.

    The state alleged that while the home was being ransacked, Theodore overheard Jonathan Jeffery speaking to his wife, and thought he had recognized him.

    Theodore looked at one of the other intruders nearby, who nodded, and fired a single 9 mm round into Jonathan Jeffery's head.

    The couple's daughter was sleeping in another room, and their niece and nephew - 12-year-old twins - were sleeping on a living room couch.

    The home invaders left the apartment with a backpack, an Xbox and three cellphones, according to Brandi Jeffery, the victim's wife.

    'Two-star general in the Bloods'

    Theodore chose not to testify in his own defense during the trial.

    In his closing arguments on Friday, Assistant State Attorney Art Jackman described for the jury how the assailants burst into the Jeffery home dressed in black and wearing masks and gloves, shouting that they were police to gain the couple's immediate compliance.

    "The armed intruders wanted drugs and money, and they would ransack the home looking for it," Jackman said, gesturing to Theodore. "This man intentionally pressed a gun to the back of J.J.'s head and fired.

    "Not only did he participate, he's the actual killer."

    Jackman said Theodore is a "two-star general in the Bloods," a notorious criminal street gang.

    "He eliminated a witness. That's premeditation," Jackman told the jurors. "He's the killer."

    Assistant Public Defender Jerry Meisner told jurors that "Christian Theodore is not guilty."

    "The state has failed to prove the charges against Christian Theodore, and why do I say that? Because there is no evidence beyond a reasonable doubt, which is the burden the state must shoulder - no forensic evidence, no scientific evidence, no objective evidence," Meisner said, adding that crime scene investigators were unable to recover any DNA or other trace evidence at the scene.

    "They have placed this case in your hands, and the proof they have placed in your hands is like sand sifting through your fingers. There's nothing you can hang onto," Meisner said. "There is no forensic evidence because Christian Theodore was not there."

    Meisner attacked the credibility of the state's witnesses - Theodore's co-defendants - whom he said gave several versions of events.

    "So you have lie after lie after lie. And ladies and gentlemen, it is not acceptable to base a conviction on testimony such as this," Meisner said.

    Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig, the lead prosecutor, told jurors that the state's witnesses were not on trial Friday.

    "That's not why we're here. We are here today to try this man - that man sitting there at the defense table - the man that killed Jonathan Jeffery," Fraivillig said while pointing at the defendant.

    Fraivillig explained the process that the state had use to prove that Theodore was a "criminal gang member."

    She showed several pictures of Theodore, and others, using hand signs and pointing guns at the camera, and listed several criteria that define gang membership.

    Fraivillig told jurors that crime scene technicians were not able to recover fingerprints or DNA because the suspects all wore long sleeves, masks and gloves.

    "This is not 'CSI.' This is not a crime show. This is not television," she said.

    "This is real life."

    Circuit Judge Charles Roberts said Theodore's sentencing will be set for a future date.

    http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...-home-invasion
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  3. #3
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Jury to decide if Christian Theodore will face death penalty for 2014 slaying

    By Dan O'Shea
    Sarasota Herald-Tribune

    SARASOTA — Prosecutors told a jury Thursday why 23-year-old Christian Theodore should face the death penalty for the 2014 slaying of Jonathan “J.J.” Jeffery.

    Theodore was convicted of first-degree murder and armed home-invasion robbery during a week-long trial in December.

    Thursday’s court hearing was the penalty phase of the case, which was presented to a new jury.

    Assistant State Attorney Karen Fraivillig, the lead prosecutor, said Theodore was “the shot caller, the two-star general” and “the only one in the group that knew the address.”

    “His executive functioning was not impaired,” she said.

    Fraivillig referred to a stack of medical records from Theodore’s schools and medical reports. She suggested that his mother, who was at the hearing, did everything she could, and Theodore “chose this life".

    Fraivillig concluded her argument by saying, “aggravators outweighed mitigators, and the state is pursuing death.”

    Assistant Public Defender Jerry Meisner addressed Fravillig’s stack of records, saying that a man’s life is “more than just a series of documents.”

    He showed jurors mental trauma reports and called it a “picture of misfortune.” Meisner also said Theodore is bipolar and has other mental disorders.

    Meisner told jurors Theodore suffered a “lifetime of abuse” and that he had a life-long history of psychotropic prescriptions.

    He also attacked prosecutors’ claim that the murder was premeditated, saying that the “plan was never to kill anyone.”

    Meisner concluded his arguments by reminding the jury to not judge out of anger: “An eye for an eye is a decision out of anger. Revenge is a decision of anger.”

    Jurors will return at 8:30 a.m. today to begin their deliberation.

    ‘Commando style’


    During his trial, prosecutors said Theodore shot Jeffery, 25, who was asleep with his wife, after Theodore and others burst “commando style” into Jeffery’s home in the Summerside condominium complex.

    Two of Theodore’s co-defendants — Azalea Mendoza, 21, and Vincent Gonzalez, 27 — accepted plea deals in exchange for their testimony against Theodore.

    Three other defendants involved in the murder — Shakoy Gale, 23, Aenri Ellis, 29, and Byron Jones, 27 — were each previously found guilty of murder and related charges and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    Court documents and testimony showed that Mendoza had driven the men to and from St. Petersburg, trips captured on several security cameras near Jeffery’s house, at a Walmart and a tollbooth.

    Security video showed three of the men buying gloves and zip ties at Walmart on Cattlemen Road approximately two-and-a-half hours before the slaying.

    The state said while the home was being ransacked, Theodore overheard Jonathan Jeffery speaking to his wife, and thought he had recognized him.

    Theodore looked at one of the other intruders nearby, who nodded, and fired a single 9mm round into Jonathan Jeffery’s head.

    The couple’s daughter was sleeping in another room, and their niece and nephew — 12-year-old twins — were sleeping on a living room couch.

    The home invaders left the apartment with a backpack, an Xbox and three cellphones, according to Brandi Jeffery, the victim’s wife.

    Theodore chose not to testify in his own defense during the trial.

    During his trial, prosecutors described for the jury how the assailants burst into the Jeffery home dressed in black and wearing masks and gloves, shouting that they were police to gain the couple’s immediate compliance.

    They also told jurors Theodore was a “two-star general in the Bloods,” a notorious criminal street gang.

    http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...r-2014-slaying
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #4
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    June 2, 2017

    Theodore will spend life in prison for 2014 home invasion murder

    Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but jurors were not unanimous in supporting a death sentence

    SARASOTA — After deliberating for five hours, a Sarasota County jury of four men and eight women decided that Christian Theodore should spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2014 slaying of Jonathan “J.J.” Jeffery.

    Ten jurors wanted Theodore to face the death penalty. Two did not.

    Under a new state law, a unanimous verdict is required to send an inmate to death row.

    After the jury’s finding, Circuit Court Judge Charles Roberts sentenced Christian to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

    http://www.heraldtribune.com/news/20...nvasion-murder

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