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Thread: Jason Andrew Simpson - Florida

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    Jason Andrew Simpson - Florida




    Facts of the Crime:

    On March 29, 2007, Jason Simpson was sentenced to death for the 1999 double ax-murders of Archie Crook, Sr., 38, and Kimberli Kimbler, 29. Simpson, then a confidential informant for Jacksonville police, was known to the couple through Crook, Sr. The two men had been previously involved in the sale of illegal drugs. Kimbler was seven months pregnant with the couple’s first child at the time of the murders.

    The victim’s son, Archie Crook, Jr. and his friend Shawn Smallwood, were the last people to see the couple alive. The two men had visited the couple the night before in order to cash a check. Around 1:00 a.m. on July 16, 1999, Crook and Kimbler were attacked with an ax as they slept in their bed. The bodies of the two victims were found later that morning by Crook’s father, Clyde Crook, when he entered the home through an unlocked side door. Crook then called his friend, Christopher Howard, to meet him at the scene. The two men then called Jacksonville police. That morning, detectives located the ax used in the murders, containing DNA from both victims, in the victims’ backyard. The detectives also found, hidden behind an air-conditioning unit on the property of a church near the home, a sweatshirt, a pair of sweatpants, shoes, and a hat.

    Crook, Sr. and Kimbler died as a result of chopping wounds to the head and neck. Several blows were inflicted upon Crook, Sr.’s face and neck, breaking his jawbone and severing his carotid artery. Kimbler received multiple blows on the head and neck, ultimately breaking two vertebrae in her neck. Defensive wounds found on both victims indicate that they attempted to fend off the intruder.

    Around 8:00 a.m., Detective Hinson, a Jacksonville detective who had been using Simpson as a confidential source, heard about the murders and, recognizing the address, attempted to contact Simpson by pager. Simpson responded to Detective Hinson’s pages around noon. When Detective Hinson questioned Simpson, he told Hinson that Crook, Sr. and his son had been aware Simpson was informing for police and had been telling their mutual acquaintances. When confronted with photographs of the recovered clothes, he denied that they were his and denied being involved in the murders. At that time, there was no evidence to link him to the crimes.

    In November 2001, Simpson was asked by Jacksonville Detective Bialokowski for his assistance with the then-unsolved Crook and Kimbler murders. In response to this request, Simpson denied knowing the couple. On August 14, 2002, Jacksonville Detective Gilbreath received DNA test results from the recovered articles of clothing, and on September 4, 2002, he interviewed Simpson. Kimbler’s DNA was found on the sweatpants, sweatshirt, and shoes. Crook, Sr.’s DNA was found on the sweatpants. Simpson’s DNA was found on the sweatshirt and sweatpants along with two of his hairs.

    Apart from the forensic evidence linking Simpson to the murders, a witness came forth at time of trial to testify against Simpson. Michael Durrance, a seven-time convicted felon, testified that Simpson had confessed to the murders. According to Durrance, Simpson boasted about sneaking in through the laundry room window and striking the couple with an axe. Durrance had withheld this evidence from Jacksonville police until he thought he could use the information in exchange for leniency in his own case.

    Simpson was sentenced to death in Duval County on March 29, 2007.

  2. #2
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

    There have been no undue delays at this time.

    Case Information:

    On 04/30/07, Simpson filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court, citing the following issues: (1) the trial court erred in not granting a mistrial and/or requesting the jury to deliberate further in appellant’s case when a juror recanted her guilty verdict before evidence was presented in the penalty phase, violating appellant’s Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions; (2) the trial court erred when it denied defense counsel’s motion to exclude the public from the courtroom during Juror Cody’s testimony as to why the guilty verdict was not hers; (3) the trial court erred in allowing the jury to proceed to the penalty phase of appellant’s trial after hearing testimony from a juror that the previous guilty verdict was not hers; this allowed the jury to proceed with the penalty phase was in violation of appellant’s Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions; (4) the trial court erred in not granting defendant’s motion for a jury interview when a juror on appellant’s case recanted her previous guilty verdict before the jury proceeded to the penalty phase of appellant’s trial; said error was in violation of appellant’s Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights of the U.S. and Florida Constitutions; (5) the trial court erred by not making a definitive ruling on defendant’s “motion for pre-trial ruling on admissibility of ‘reverse’ Williams rule evidence,” thereby not allowing defense counsel to address relevant impeachment information pertaining to state witnesses which prejudiced appellant at trial; and (6) the State committed prosecutorial misconduct in the guilt and penalty phase closing arguments at trial, entitling appellant to a new trial. Oral Arguments were held on 12/03/08. On 02/12/09, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed Simpson’s convictions and death sentences. On 02/25/09, Simpson filed a Motion for Rehearing, which was denied on 03/27/09. On 04/15/09, the Florida Supreme Court issued a mandate in this case. On 04/15/09, a corrected mandate was issued with the proper Circuit Court case number.

    On 05/11/09, Simpson filed a Certiorari Petition in the United States Supreme Court. This petition was denied on 10/05/09.

    Simpson filed a 3.851 Motion in the Circuit Court on 10/01/10. This motion is currently pending.

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    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Ax murderer wants new trial; lawyers point finger at victim's son

    By Frank Powers
    News4Jax.com

    JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - New lawyers for a Jacksonville man convicted and sentenced to death in two 1999 ax murders is making a case that the son of one of the victims is the real culprit.

    An evidentiary hearing will resume Monday in Duval County Court for Jason Simpson, 44, who was found guilty of the murders of Archie Crook Sr. and Kimberly Kimbler on the Westside.

    The Florida Supreme Court upheld the conviction and death sentence.

    Clothes found discarded at the murder scene had the blood of both victims on it, and Simpson’s DNA.

    Simpson’s new lawyers now suggest Crook’s son might have been the guilty party, because Simpson let Archie Crooks Jr. use those clothes to commit burglaries.

    The defense lawyers also contend that evidence was withheld from the trial lawyer.

    They are hoping to convince the court to grant Simpson a new trial.

    Current State Attorney Melissa Nelson was one of the original prosecutors in the case.

    https://www.news4jax.com/news/ax-mur...t-victim-s-son
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    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    The Florida Supreme Court has vacated Simpson’s conviction and death sentence and remanded to the trial court for a new trial.

    https://law.justia.com/cases/florida...sc18-1238.html
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    Convicted Jacksonville ax murderer will get new trial in 1999 killings, Florida Supreme Court says

    By Jim Saunders
    Florida Times-Union

    TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Death Row inmate Jason Andrew Simpson, who was convicted of killing a fellow drug dealer and the dealer’s pregnant girlfriend with an ax in 1999 in Jacksonville.

    The Supreme Court said prosecutors for Simpson, who was sentenced in 2007, did not disclose that a witness against him was a confidential informant for the state.

    Simpson, now 48, was convicted of killing Archie Howard Crook Sr., 38, and Kimberli Michelle Kimbler, 29. They were hacked to death and nearly decapitated in the bedroom of their Derito Drive home off Normandy Boulevard, according to the Supreme Court ruling.

    The witness whose work as an informant had not been disclosed was Crook’s son, Archie Clyde Crook Jr. — identified in the ruling as “Little Archie.” Simpson’s defense attorneys argued during the trial that Little Archie had killed his father and Kimbler.

    Little Archie had served as an informant against another man, George Michael Durrance, who was described in the ruling as being an associate of the Crook father and son and Simpson in the drug trade.

    Durrance also was a figure in the Simpson murder case, and the Supreme Court, in a 5-1 decision, said Little Archie’s role as a confidential informant should have been disclosed.

    The majority opinion said the “relationship between Simpson, Little Archie, and Durrance was of critical importance in this case, and the information Little Archie provided to law enforcement pertaining to Durrance casts a different light on this relationship.”

    The opinion, shared by Justices Ricky Polston, Jorge Labarga, Alan Lawson, John Couriel and Jamie Grosshans, also said “Little Archie’s testimony and credibility were of significant consequence when we consider the lack of evidence linking Simpson to the scene of the crime.”

    But Chief Justice Charles Canady dissented, writing that the failure to disclose the information about the informant “was not material and did not prejudice Simpson.”

    “The fact that Little Archie had been a source to law enforcement in unrelated matters is of little, if any, relevance, and in light of the other information known to the jury about Little Archie, would not have been an indication that he had a particular bias toward law enforcement or the state,” Canady wrote. “There is no reasonable probability that had this information been disclosed to Simpson, the result of Simpson’s trial would have been different.”

    Justice Carlos Muniz was recused from the case.

    The prosecutors in the case were Assistant State Attorneys Mark Caliel and Melissa Nelson, who is the current state attorney.

    Simpson remains at Union Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. It isn't clear when a new trial date will be scheduled.

    https://www.jacksonville.com/story/n...gs/6515380001/
    "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."
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    "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

  7. #7
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    After conviction tossed in 1999 ax murders, Jacksonville man enters plea deal to forego retrial

    By Scott Johnson
    News 4 Jax

    A Jacksonville man, whose conviction in a double ax murder in 1999 was thrown out earlier this year, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two lesser counts of second-degree murder.

    The judge at Tuesday afternoon’s hearing noted that Jason Simpson, who was once on death row but was set to receive a new trial, had previously maintained his innocence, and Simpson was ordered released on nearly 20 years served, followed by five years’ probation.

    Simpson, 49, was expected to walk out of the Duval County jail later Tuesday as a free man for the first time since September 2002. He is also under a no-contact order for several people, including the victims’ families and prosecutors in the case. If he sees them in person or through someone or contacts them online, it would violate his probation, and he would be taken back into custody.

    Simpson’s guilty plea was a part of a special plea deal to forego a trial where prosecutors likely don’t have enough evidence to convict him again.

    The Fourth Circuit State Attorney’s Office issued the following statement to News4JAX:

    “Since the defendant’s jury trial and convictions in 2007, there have been significant changes in critical witness testimony that dramatically impact the strength of the State’s case.

    “Given these evidentiary issues, the State has accepted the defendant’s offer to plead guilty — a resolution that is in the best interest of justice.”

    The State Attorney’s Office acknowledged the families of the victims -- Archie Howard Crook and Kimberli Kimbler -- “are not satisfied with the outcome” of the case, and News4JAX spoke with Kimbler’s daughter, Charlein Kimbler-Honeycutt, and Kimbler’s sister, Melinda Prestwood.

    “He is going from death row to the street. Thank you, Florida,” said Prestwood. “We don’t have the physical evidence anymore because JSO (Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office) did not preserve stuff like they should have now like they do now with DNA. Because back in those days, DNA was all brand new, so they didn’t preserve none of that stuff. So we can’t preserve physical evidence. Everybody that was involved in the situation is either in prison for life or dead.”

    Kimbler-Honeycutt is left to wonder who the killer is as Simpson walks free.

    “I am always really nervous about it because all you need to do is look up somebody’s tag number and look up where they live or their names,” she said. “I don’t know. I don’t really know anything about it, I am scared because I just wish none of this had happened.”

    The Florida Supreme Court said in January that Simpson should receive a new trial because prosecutors did not disclose that a witness against him was a confidential informant for the state.

    Simpson was convicted in the murders of drug dealer Crook and Crook’s pregnant girlfriend, Kimberli Kimbler. They were hacked to death with an ax in the bedroom of their home, according to the Supreme Court ruling.

    The witness whose work as an informant had not been disclosed was Crook’s son, Archie Clyde Crook -- identified in the ruling as “Little Archie.” Simpson’s defense attorneys argued during the trial that Little Archie had killed his father and Kimbler.

    Little Archie had served as an informant against another man, George Michael Durrance, who was described in the ruling as being an associate of the Crook father and son and Simpson in the drug trade.

    Durrance also was a figure in the Simpson murder case, and the Supreme Court, in a 5-1 decision, said Little Archie’s role as a confidential informant should have been disclosed.

    The majority opinion said the “relationship between Simpson, Little Archie, and Durrance was of critical importance in this case, and the information Little Archie provided to law enforcement pertaining to Durrance casts a different light on this relationship.”

    The opinion, shared by Justices Ricky Polston, Jorge Labarga, Alan Lawson, John Couriel and Jamie Grosshans, also said “Little Archie’s testimony and credibility were of significant consequence when we consider the lack of evidence linking Simpson to the scene of the crime.”

    But Chief Justice Charles Canady dissented, writing that the failure to disclose the information about the informant “was not material and did not prejudice Simpson.”

    “The fact that Little Archie had been a source to law enforcement in unrelated matters is of little, if any, relevance, and in light of the other information known to the jury about Little Archie, would not have been an indication that he had a particular bias toward law enforcement or the state,” Canady wrote. “There is no reasonable probability that had this information been disclosed to Simpson, the result of Simpson’s trial would have been different.”

    Justice Carlos Muniz was recused from the case.

    Current State Attorney Melissa Nelson was one of the original prosecutors in the case.

    https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/...orego-retrial/
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