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Thread: William Melvin White - Florida

  1. #1
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    William Melvin White - Florida




    Facts of the Crime:

    William Melvin White was convicted of murdering Gracie Mae Crawford on June 6, 1978. White was a member of a motorcycle gang in Kentucky called the Outlaws. He was visiting the Orlando chapter of the Outlaws the night of the murder. On the night of June 6, 1978, the motorcycle gang went out to a nightclub in Orlando to have a few drinks. While at the nightclub, the group met the victim, Gracie Mae Crawford. After spending a few hours drinking at the nightclub, the Outlaws and Crawford went back to their clubhouse. Shortly after returning to the clubhouse, White and his girlfriend went to the bedroom they were staying in while Crawford remained with the gang and continued to drink. White and his girlfriend remained in the bedroom until another gang member, Richard DiMarino, knocked on the door and told White that Crawford liked African Americans and they needed to “teach her a lesson.”

    Upon hearing this, White left the bedroom and went into the kitchen where he, DiMarino, and a third gang member, Guy Ennis Smith, proceeded to beat Crawford. After the three men had finished beating her, White and DiMarino took her from the kitchen and put her in the front seat of White’s girlfriend’s car. They drove the car to a secluded area at the end of a deserted road where they pulled Crawford from the car and then passed her over a barbed wire fence and laid her on the ground. White then sat on top of Crawford and fatally stabbed her in the chest 14 times and then cut her throat. White then gave the knife to DiMarino who cut her throat again. DiMarino and White left the crime scene and attempted to return home, but the two men ran out of gas and pulled into the Seaworld parking lot. Two security guards on duty (who later identified the two men to authorities) gave the men some gas for their car. White and DiMarino then returned to the crime scene and picked up Crawford’s body and disposed of it in a different location.

    White was sentenced to death in Orange County on December 20, 1978.

    Co-defendant information:
    Richard DiMarino, the co-defendant in this case, received a lesser charge and sentence in return for his testimony against White. He was found guilty of third-degree murder and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.

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

    On 01/08/79, William Melvin White filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court that was pending for approximately 3 ˝ years until the FSC affirmed the convictions and sentences of the trial court on 04/16/82. White then filed a 3.850 Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentences on 10/04/83, and obtained a Stay of Execution from the Circuit Court pending an evidentiary hearing. His 3.850 Motion was not decided on until 04/18/96, 13 years after it was originally filed. Following this decision, the defendant filed an Appeal regarding the denial of his 3.850 Motion that was in the Florida Supreme Court for approximately three years, until the FSC remanded his case to the trial court for a new penalty phase hearing on 03/11/99.

    Case Information:

    On 01/08/79, William White filed his Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court. He claimed there was prosecutorial misconduct with regard to comments made by the prosecutor. He also contended that the trial court erred in the jury selection process. The Florida Supreme Court found no merit in any of the claims and affirmed White’s conviction and sentence on 04/01/82.

    On 10/04/83, White filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court. This Motion was denied on 04/18/96.

    On 09/24/87, the defendant filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court. The Petition was denied on 01/28/88.

    Following the denial of his Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus on 06/13/88, William White filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/03/88.

    On 08/08/96, White filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court. White contended in the appeal that he received ineffective counsel. He also claimed that details about a deal made with DiMarino were not disclosed by the State. The Court found no merit to these two claims. In his final claim White contended that there was a violation of Hitchcock. The Court found that the trial court improperly barred mitigating circumstances that should have been considered. On 03/11/99, the Florida Supreme Court remanded the case to the trial court with instructions to conduct another sentencing proceeding.

    White was resentenced on 04/20/00. He filed his Direct Appeal on 05/26/00. In his appeal, White claimed that the trial court erred in not allowing facts of a previous crime he had committed but allowed the criminal history of DiMarino. The Court found no abuse of the trial court’s discretion. White also contended that the trial court erred in finding the hindering the enforcement of laws aggravator. The Court found that there was substantial evidence in support of the aggravating circumstance. White also argued that the trial court erred by not finding that he acted under extreme duress during the murder as an aggravating circumstance. Again, the Court found substantial evidence in support of the trial court’s ruling. In White’s final claim he argued that his death sentence was not proportionate in regard to DiMarino’s sentence. The Court found that White was the more culpable defendant and found that his sentence was proportionate. The Court affirmed White’s conviction and sentence on 04/04/02. His Rehearing was denied on 05/16/03.

    White filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on 10/11/02. This petition was subsequently denied on 12/16/02.

    White filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on 12/16/03, which was denied on 08/05/05.

    On 09/06/05, White filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court. On 07/12/07, the FSC affirmed denial of motion. White filed a Motion for Rehearing on 07/30/07, which was denied on 09/10/07. On 09/26/07, the Florida Supreme Court issued a mandate for this appeal.

    On 11/19/07, White filed a Petition for Habeas Corpus in the USDC, Middle District. This case is currently pending. On 02/10/10, the USDC administratively stayed the case pending a final resolution of Holland in the USSC. On 08/13/10, White filed a motion to reopen the case and schedule an Evidentiary Hearing. On 10/08/10, the USDC issued an order granting the motion to reopen the case and denying the motion to schedule an Evidentiary Hearing without prejudice. http://dockets.justia.com/docket/flo...cv01834/207319

    White filed a successive 3.851 Motion in the State Circuit Court on 01/24/11. The motion was denied on 03/24/11

  3. #3
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On March 11, 2014, White's habeas petition was DENIED in Federal District Court.

    http://docs.justia.com/cases/federal...1834/207319/56

    On May 13, 2014, White filed an appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/cir.../ca11/14-12127

  4. #4
    Moderator MRBAM's Avatar
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    By looking at his photo I'm guessing there's no way this guy is going to make it to the date of his X.

  5. #5
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court declined to review White's petition for certiorari.

    Appeals exhausted decision could result in an execution date.

    Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    Case Nos.: (14-12127)
    Decision Date: July 21, 2014
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  6. #6
    Moderator Dave from Florida's Avatar
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    Unbelievable. This murder was committed in 1978. Not many guys been there longer than White.

  7. #7
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Jury could decide for third time on 39-year-old death penalty case

    WFTV News

    One of Orange County’s oldest murder cases could be heading back to a jury for the third time.

    William White was convicted of killing Gracie Mae Crawford in 1978. Two juries gave him the death penalty.

    White’s case was back in court on Tuesday following the upheaval around Orange Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala’s stance against the death penalty.

    Lake and Marion County State Attorney Brad King’s office is now in charge of the case after Gov. Rick Scott took away 21 murder cases from Ayala.

    King’s office must now decide whether it’s worth the time and money to dig up 40-year-old witnesses and evidence.

    White’s attorney, Kevin Beck, spoke to Channel 9’s Field Sutton at the courthouse Tuesday.

    Beck believes there could be two outcomes: King could pursue death for a third time against his client; or the amount of time that has passed could end up saving White’s life.

    http://www.wftv.com/news/local/jury-...case/511482287
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  8. #8
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    It looks like White has been resentenced to life and is eligible for parole.

    http://www.dc.state.fl.us/ActiveInma...onID=176596390

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