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Thread: Frank Athen Walls - Florida Death Row

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    Frank Athen Walls - Florida Death Row




    Facts of the Crime:

    According to statements made by Frank Walls, in the early morning of July 22, 1987, he entered the mobile home of Edward Alger and Ann Peterson with the intention of committing a burglary. Walls purposefully knocked over a fan while entering the house, waking both Alger and Peterson. When the two came to investigate the noise, Walls told Alger to lie on the floor and had Peterson tie his hands behind his back, bind his ankles and gag him. He then told Peterson to lie on the floor so he could restrain her in the same manner. Alger managed to free himself from the restraints and attacked Walls.

    While struggling, Walls cut Alger’s throat with a knife that he had brought with him. Alger then bit Wall’s leg, causing him to drop his knife. Walls then shot Alger in the head three times. Walls returned to where Peterson was restrained and found her crying, attempting to speak through the gag. Walls removed the gag from her mouth and untied her. After learning Alger was dead, a struggle ensued between Walls and Peterson, during which time he tore off her clothes. Walls then shot Peterson in the back of the head. Peterson survived the first shot and continued to scream. Walls forced her face into a pillow and fatally shot her again. The bodies were discovered later that day when Alger failed to show up for work. Investigators obtained a warrant to search Walls’ mobile home based on information provided by Walls’ former roommate, who lived near the victims. Investigators seized evidence from Walls’ residence linking him to the murders, which subsequently led to his arrest.

    Walls was re-sentenced to death in Okaloosa County on July 29, 1992.

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    WALLS v. BUSS

    In an opinion dated September 28, 2011, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals AFFIRMED the district court's DENIAL of Walls' petition for habeas relief.

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    In today's United States Supreme Court orders, Walls' petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis was DENIED.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  4. #4
    tbokar
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    About six months ago, somewhere on this website, which I cannot find now. There was a post talking about "Frank Walls needed to die, and so should his mother". Now I certainly understand why people would feel the way they do where Frank is concerned, I just don't comprehend the comment where his mother is concerned? He was raised in a good household, with a career military father and his mother from Germany with very old world values. They raised their son with morals and values and certainly never thought they would see the day that their son would do what he did. Now as a result of their sons crimes they have had to live a life as "hermits". They do not make friends because it is too hard when people find out about their son. Should every parent be blamed for crimes their child may have commited? As I live in Ohio and was not in FL when these events occurred, is there something that everyone else knows about the parents that I don't? This families lives has also been a nightmare since Frank committed his crimes. His parents feel awful about what their son did to these people and their families. I understand people's need for "justice" and I hope that when Frank finally has to serve out his sentence, that is brings some type of peace and justification for the families of the victims. I also hope, that at that time, there is some peace for his parents. Although, this is a nightmare that will follow them until the day they take their last breath also. Just remember, it is not always the parents fault.
    Last edited by tbokar; 08-18-2012 at 05:16 AM.

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    Matt Gaetz: Legislation could shorten Frank Walls’ stay on death row

    State Rep. Matt Gaetz is eager to give serial killer Frank Walls something to contemplate as he sits in his cell on death row at the Union Correctional Institute.

    Gaetz believes legislation he has introduced, if passed, could significantly lessen the time Walls will have left before his date with the executioner.

    “If the Timely Justice Act becomes law, Mr. Walls is going to have to start thinking about what his last meal is going to be,” Gaetz said.

    The Fort Walton Beach Republican last week sought to add language to the Timely Justice bill that would require the governor to sign execution warrants within 30 days of the conclusion of a death row inmate’s appeals.

    Read the bill for yourself. >>

    He said Scott “has engaged in the language of the bill and is involved in drafting the legislation.”

    Walls, described in long-ago news articles as an itinerant dishwasher, petty thief and horror movie buff, was convicted July 18, 1988, for the murders of Edward Alger Jr. and Ann Peterson during a burglary at their house trailer in Ocean City on July 22, 1987.

    The heinous nature of the crimes — he shot both victims and slashed Alger’s throat — convinced a jury that Walls deserved to be executed. He was put on Florida’s death row Aug. 24, 1988, and has remained there for almost 25 years.

    Walls was suspected to have been involved in as many as four other local killings.

    Records indicate Walls’ most recent appeal was denied last April, and a “transitional cases” document provided by Gaetz’s office states his is one of almost 100 death row cases in Florida that “appear to have exhausted all filing options.”

    “Frank Walls has no pending litigation before any court. He is warrant ripe,” Gaetz said. “If this legislation passes, my belief is the governor will very promptly be signing his death warrant.”

    Also appearing on the transitional list Gaetz provided is Daniel Peterka, who was sentenced to death in 1990 for the 1989 killing of his roommate, John Russell.

    Read the list for yourself. >>

    They shared a home in Wright, and Peterka apparently killed Russell to steal his identity.

    Nowhere on the transitional list is the name of Edward Zakrzewski.

    In 1994, Zakrzewski brutally beat his wife to death inside the couple’s home in Mary Esther, then chopped up his children with a machete. He was received on death row on April 19, 1996.

    Also not appearing on the list are Jeffrey Hutchinson or Lamar Brooks.

    Hutchinson, who killed his girlfriend and her three young children with a shotgun, has been on death row since 2001.

    Brooks has been on death row since 1998 following his conviction for fatally stabbing an Eglin Air Force Base airman and her 3-month-old child.

    http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/ma...h-row-1.130024
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    Ruling may delay serial killer’s execution

    By TOM McLAUGHLIN
    The Northwest Florida Daily News

    Rep. Matt Gaetz, who pushed for a state law aimed at speeding up imposition of the death penalty, isn’t happy with Tuesday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

    A signed execution warrant seemed imminent for Frank Walls, a serial killer convicted in Okaloosa County and sent to death row in 1988.

    But the high court ruling will likely change that.

    “I’ve been working for more than a year to introduce that guy to his maker,” Gaetz said.

    The court ruled 5-4 that Florida acted unconstitutionally by using a single “bright line” IQ score of 70 to determine whether a killer could be put to death.

    Walls’ IQ has been pegged at 72. Bill Eddins, state attorney for Florida’s First Judicial Circuit, predicted if his death warrant is signed this year it will be challenged both in the U.S. and Florida Supreme Courts.

    “We’ll make every effort possible to uphold the death penalty in that case,” Eddins said.

    Walls pleaded no contest to the 1987 murder of Audrey Gygi and was convicted and sentenced to die in 1988 for the murders of Edward Alger Jr. and Ann Peterson.

    He also admitted to killing two other women after reaching a plea agreement in the Gygi case.

    Walls’ name appeared last October on a list as one of 123 death row inmates who had seemingly exhausted all or most of their appeals.

    The clerk of Florida’s Supreme Court had sent the certification letter to the governor to comply with the Timely Justice Act of 2013, sponsored by Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach.

    Gaetz said the U.S. Supreme Court decision will likely delay the administration of justice for several death row inmates, including Walls.

    “It is unlikely Gov. Scott is going to be able to sign death warrants for death row inmates with pending appeal hearings based on mental retardation,” Gaetz said. “The Supreme Court has launched countless death row cases into an appeals’ oblivion.”

    Eddins, however, was of the opinion that the Supreme Court was attempting to make sure justices were using criteria other than an IQ score to determine which inmates suffer “intellectual disability” and which others could be put to death.

    He said he’s confident judges in the First Judicial Circuit met the assessment standard the Supreme Court required and his office would not need to review any local death penalty cases.

    “We will not be dramatically affected by that ruling,” he said.

    State Senate President Don Gaetz said the federal court ruling was an admonishment of the high court justices.

    “Florida law provides plenty of ways you can assess intellectual ability,” said Don Gaetz, R-Niceville. “The problem wasn’t the law it was the Florida Supreme Court.”

    LOCAL DEATH ROW ROSTER

    Serial Killer Frank Walls is one of six death row inmates from this region who appeared on the Supreme Court list as having exhausted appeals.

    Also on the list are Daniel Peterka, Edward Zakrzewski and Jeffrey Hutchinson of Okaloosa County, Bruce Pace, Gary Lawrence, Jeremiah Rodgers and Michael Hernandez of Santa Rosa County and Ernest Suggs and Thomas McCoy of Walton County.

    http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/ru...ution-1.325581

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    FRANK A. WALLS v STATE OF FLORIDA

    In today's opinions, the Florida Supreme Court REVERSED the summary denial of Wall's intellectual disability claim and REMANDED the case to circuit court for an evidentiary hearing under the appropriate standards.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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    Attorneys for serial killer Walls in court on Monday

    Attorneys representing Frank Walls, an Okaloosa County serial killer who has been on death row since 1988, will appear in court on Monday to schedule two motions on their client's behalf.

    The lawyers are seeking to have Walls' death sentence reviewed because he didn't receive the jury consideration of "aggravating factors" that a 2016 Florida Supreme Court ruling entitles him to, said Assistant State Attorney John Molchan, who will represent the First Judicial Circuit at the 9 a.m. hearing.

    In reviewing the case of Hurst vs. Florida, the Supreme Court ruled that before a death penalty can be handed down a jury must agree unanimously that at least one aggravating factor – possession of a weapon during commission of the capital crime, for instance – was present when the crime was committed.

    The unanimous standard was not applied during Walls' initial sentencing.

    Molchan said when the motion citing the Hurst case is heard by Circuit Court Judge William Stone the state will present the argument that the Supreme Court decision does not apply retroactively past 2002.

    "We have a lot of case law that says it's not retroactive," Molchan said.

    Walls' attorneys' second motion will state that an intellectual disability should prevent him from being put to death.

    This motion follows a U.S. Supreme Court determination that Florida acted unconstitutionally by using a single "bright line" IQ score of 70 to determine whether a killer could be put to death.

    That opened the door for death row inmates with IQ's slightly higher than 70 to present their case for intellectual disability, and the Florida Supreme Court determined last year that Walls deserved a hearing on the matter. On Jan. 9, it denied a state motion for reconsideration of the 2016 ruling.

    Walls, a one-time Ocean City resident who was sentenced to death in 1988 for two murders and later confessed to three more, has been determined to have an IQ of 72.

    Molchan said he would be surprised if Walls was in Okaloosa County for the Monday hearing, but he said he expects at some point he'll be brought back to the county for a court appearance.

    State Attorney Bill Eddins has said he expects the state to prevail in both of the motions being scheduled Monday. These are the last motions Walls will be entitled to file before a death warrant is signed in his case, Eddins said.

    http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/201...ourt-on-monday
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  9. #9
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court DENIED the State of Florida's certiorari petition.

    Lower Ct: Supreme Court of Florida
    Case Numbers: (SC15-1449)
    Decision Date: October 20, 2016
    Rehearing Denied: January 9, 2017

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....c/16-1518.html

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    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Florida Supreme Court rejects 10 Death Row appeals, including in Duval and Clay

    By News Service of Florida
    Florida Times-Union

    The Florida Supreme Court on Monday rejected appeals by 10 Death Row inmates, including three in Duval County and one in Clay County.

    The Supreme Court’s release of 10 nearly identical rulings at the same time was a somewhat-unusual move. But each of the cases involved inmates challenging their death sentences because juries did not unanimously recommend execution.

    The appeals were rooted in a 2016 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a case known as Hurst v. Florida and a subsequent Florida Supreme Court decision. The 2016 ruling found Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system was unconstitutional because it gave too much authority to judges, instead of juries. The subsequent Florida Supreme Court ruling said juries must unanimously agree on critical findings before judges can impose death sentences and must unanimously recommend the death penalty.

    But the Florida Supreme Court made the new sentencing requirements apply to cases since 2002. That is when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling known as Ring v. Arizona that was a premise for striking down Florida’s death-penalty sentencing system in 2016.

    In each of the cases Monday, the Death Row inmates had been sentenced to death before the Ring decision and argued that the jury-unanimity requirements should also apply to their cases.

    The Jacksonville cases were Marvin Burnett Jones, Pressley Bernard Alston and Jason Demetrius Stephens. In Clay County, Donald Bradley’s appeal was denied.

    The others were Eric Scott Branch in Escambia County, Kayle Barrington Bates in Bay County, Daniel Jon Peterka in Okaloosa County, Harry Franklin Phillips in Miami-Dade County, Ernest D. Suggs in Walton County and Frank A. Walls in Okaloosa County.

    http://jacksonville.com/news/public-...ding-duval-and
    "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.”
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