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Thread: Ray Lamar Johnston - Florida Death Row

  1. #1
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    Ray Lamar Johnston - Florida Death Row




    Summary of Offense:

    Leanne Coryell was a clinical orthodontist assistant and left work at 8:38 p.m. on the evening of August 19, 1997. She then went to a grocery store and left the store at 9:23 p.m. Her body was discovered at 10:30 p.m. floating in a pond on the property of St. Timothy’s Church. Forensic investigation determined that Coryell died from manual strangulation and had wounds that suggested impact from a blunt weapon. Also, vertical scrapes on her back suggested that she was dragged to the pond. Two unusually shaped bruises on Coryell’s buttocks led forensic experts to conclude that she was beaten with her own belt prior to death. Coryell’s body also showed internal and external injuries to the vagina, consistent with penetration. Her clothes were found on a nearby embankment and impressions were taken of shoe prints found near the clothing. Coryell’s black Infiniti was in the church’s parking lot with the keys in the ignition and the engine still warm. Police were able to life a fingerprint, later matched to Ray Johnston, from the exterior of the car. ATM surveillance photos showed a person withdrawing $500 from Coryell’s bank account and these photos were given to the news media, which aired them. A friend of Ray Johnston saw the photos and called police. Based on telephone calls identifying Johnston, police obtained a search warrant for his apartment and found a pair of wet tennis shoes and shorts. The imprints from the tennis shoes matched three partial impressions from the crime scene. Johnston saw his photo on television and volunteered to give a statement to police.

    In the statement, he told police that he was a friend of Coryell and that they had gone out to dinner a few times. According to Johnston, he withdrew the money from Coryell’s account to repay a loan she had obtained from him. Johnston justified the wet shoes found by police by saying that he had jumped in a hot tub, shoes and all, after a run. Johnston also called a pen pal and asked her to provide a false alibi for him, by telling his attorneys that she was working out with Johnston on the night of the murder.

    Johnston was sentenced to death in Hillsborough County on March 13, 2000.

    Additional information:
    Johnston was convicted and sentenced to death for the 1997 murder of Janice Nugent.

  2. #2
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In today's Florida Supreme Court orders, Johnston's motion to vacate his conviction for first-degree murder and sentence of death filed under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851 was DENIED, and his petition for a writ of habeas corpus, was also DENIED.

    opinion here

  3. #3
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In today's Florida Supreme Court orders, Johnston's appeal filed in 2009 for post-conviction relief and habeas petition was DENIED.

    RAY LAMAR JOHNSTON vs. STATE OF FLORIDA,

    and...

    RAY LAMAR JOHNSTON vs. EDWIN G. BUSS, etc.,

  4. #4
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On October 14, 2011, Johnston filed a habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/flo...v02327/264077/

  5. #5
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    Today the Florida Supreme Court denied his Hurst appeal.

    http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/d.../sc17-1678.pdf
    Last edited by Mike; 04-05-2018 at 12:28 PM.

  6. #6
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mastro Titta's Avatar
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    In today's United States Supreme Court orders, Johnston's petition for a writ of certiorari was DENIED.

    Lower Ct: Supreme Court of Florida
    Case Numbers: (SC17-1678)
    Decision Date: April 5, 2018
    Rehearing Denied: July 3, 2018

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/...18zor_19m2.pdf

  7. #7
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On November 12, 2019, oral argument will be heard in Johnston's appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

    http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/sites/d...Johnston_P.pdf

  8. #8
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    In today's opinions, the Eleventh Circuit DENIED Johnston's appeal. The panel was made up of Judges Edward Carnes (G.H.W. Bush), Martin (Obama) and Rosenbaum (Obama).

    http://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opini.../201414054.pdf

  9. #9
    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    Final appeal distributed for conference October 30, 2020.

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....c/20-5492.html
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

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  10. #10
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mastro Titta's Avatar
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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court DENIED Johnston's petition for certiorari.

    Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    Case Numbers: (14-14054)
    Decision Date: February 3, 2020
    Rehearing Denied: March 24, 2020

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/...20zor_08m1.pdf

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