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Thread: William Thaddeus Turner - Florida

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    William Thaddeus Turner - Florida




    Summary of Offense:

    William Turner was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of his wife, Shirley Turner, and her roommate, Joyce Brown.
    In the early morning hours of July 3, 1984, William Turner broke into the home of his estranged wife, Shirley Turner, and stabbed her twenty-two times in front of their daughter Anetra. Joyce Brown, Shirley’s roommate, fled the scene in search of help. William Turner tracked her down and cornered Joyce in a telephone booth where she was attempting to call 911. Despite her pleas, Turner stabbed her fifty-one times, repeatedly shouting, “You’re the one!” William Turner reportedly believed that his wife and Joyce Brown were involved in a lesbian relationship, and he blamed Joyce for stealing his wife and family. Turner also reportedly believed that his wife was a prostitute.

    Turner was sentenced to death in Duval County on November 1, 1985.

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    TURNER, William (B/M)

    DC # 099865

    DOB: 07/02/45

    Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County, Case #84-6504

    Sentencing Judge: The Honorable John D. Southwood

    Attorney, Criminal Trial: Henry Coxe, III

    Attorney, Direct Appeal: Clyde M. Collins, Jr.

    Attorney, Collateral Appeals: James Lohman – Registry

    Date of Offense: 07/03/84

    Date of Sentence: 11/01/85

    Trial Summary:

    07/03/84 Defendant arrested.

    07/18/84 Defendant indicted on the following:

    Count I: First-Degree-Murder (Shirley Turner)

    Count II: First-Degree-Murder (Joyce Brown)

    08/17/84 The defendant entered a plea of “not guilty”.

    08/16/85 The trial jury found the defendant guilty of Counts I & II, as charged in the indictment.

    08/23/85 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 7 to 5 majority, voted for the death penalty for the murder of Joyce Brown. The jury recommended life imprisonment for the murder of Shirley Turner.

    11/01/85 The defendant was sentenced as followed:

    Count I: First-Degree Murder (Shirley Turner) – Life

    Count II: First-Degree Murder (Joyce Brown) – Death

    Appeal Summary:

    Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

    FSC #67,987

    530 So. 2d 45

    12/05/85 Appeal filed.

    05/14/87 FSC relinquished jurisdiction to the trial court for an evidentiary hearing

    on the issue of Turner’s absence during key parts of the trial.

    07/07/88 FSC affirmed the convictions and sentence of death.

    09/22/88 Rehearing denied.

    10/25/88 Mandate issued.

    U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

    USSC #88-6101

    489 U.S. 1040

    11/22/88 Petition filed.

    02/21/89 Petition denied.

    Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

    FSC #75,848

    614 So. 2d 1075

    04/16/90 Limited petition filed.

    10/15/90 Amended petition filed.

    12/24/92 Petition denied.

    03/25/93 Mandate issued.

    State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

    CC #84-6504

    10/15/90 Motion filed.

    11/06/90 Motion denied.

    Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

    FSC #77,062

    614 So. 2d 1075

    12/11/90 Appeal filed.

    12/24/92 FSC affirmed the denial of Turner’s 3.850 Motion.

    03/25/93 Rehearing denied.

    03/25/93 Mandate issued.

    U.S. District Court, Middle District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

    USDC #93-1057

    07/19/93 Petition filed.

    06/26/02 Petition denied.

    U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal

    USCA #02-14941

    339 F.3d 1247

    09/09/02 Appeal filed.

    07/29/03 USCA affirmed denial of petition.

    Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

    CC #84-6504

    12/20/02 Motion filed.

    05/02/03 CC dismissed motion without prejudice.

    U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

    USSC# 03-9251

    541 U.S. 1034

    03/05/04 Petition filed.

    05/03/04 USSC denied petition.

    Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

    FSC# 03-1857

    880 So.2d 1213

    10/24/03 Petition filed.

    05/04/04 Petition denied.

    07/23/04 Rehearing denied.

    State Circuit Court – 3.203 Motion

    CC #84-6504

    11/30/04 Motion filed.

    08/21/06 Motion amended.

    06/26/08 Circuit Court 3.203 proceedings stayed pending FSC review

    09/14/09 Motion denied

    Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Review of Non-final Order (3.203 Motion)

    FSC# 08-1197

    4 So.3d 677

    06/25/08 Petition filed and Motion to Stay Circuit Court 3.203 proceedings filed

    06/26/08 Circuit Court 3.203 proceedings stayed pending FSC review

    02/09/09 Disposition reversed and remanded to the State Circuit Court

    Florida Supreme Court – 3.203 Appeal

    FSC# 09-1957

    10/19/09 Appeal filed

    09/28/10 FSC affirmed the disposition of the lower court

    United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

    USSC# 10-847

    (Pending)

    12/27/10 Petition filed

    Warrants:

    03/29/90 Death warrant signed by Governor Bob Martinez.

    05/30/90 Execution scheduled.

    04/26/90 Stay granted by the Florida Supreme Court to allow for time to file motions for postconviction relief.

    Clemency:

    04/12/89 Clemency hearing held (denied).

    Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

    The biggest source of delay in Turner’s case was his Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus filed in the United States District Court, Middle District, which was pending for nearly nine years.

    Case Information:

    On 12/05/85, William Turner filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court appealing his convictions and sentence of death. In that appeal, he argued that he was involuntarily absent during crucial portions of his trial proceedings (voir dire & jury charge) or waived his presence during the proceedings. The Florida Supreme Court relinquished jurisdiction over the case and remanded to the trial court to determine whether there was validity to Turner’s claims. The trial court found that Turner enjoyed “meaningful participation” in the jury challenge process and that he was not deprived of due process. The Florida Supreme Court found, however, that Turner did not voluntarily waive his right to be present in the jury room during the challenge because he did not have intelligent knowledge of such a right. Nonetheless, the court determined the error to be harmless. In regard to Turner’s claim that he was also involuntarily absent during the jury charge, the court found that the record showed that Turner knowingly acquiesced to his counsel’s waiver of his right to be present. In his Direct Appeal, Turner additionally argued that the trial court erred in allowing an audiotape of Joyce Brown’s 911-telephone call to be admitted as evidence. Turner also claimed that the trial court erred in its application of aggravating circumstances. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Turner’s convictions and sentence on 07/07/88.

    Turner then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 02/21/89.

    On 03/29/90, Governor Bob Martinez signed a death warrant for Turner. He then filed a Stay of Execution and a limited Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. The Florida Supreme Court granted the stay, after which Turner filed an amended Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus. In that petition, Turner argued the consideration of the contemporaneous murder of his wife as a “prior violent felony” aggravating circumstance. He also claimed ineffective assistance of counsel. The Habeas Petition was denied on 12/24/92.

    Turner next filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court, which was subsequently denied without an evidentiary hearing. Turner then filed an appeal of that decision in the Florida Supreme Court. The high court affirmed the denial of Turner’s 3.850 Motion on 12/24/92.

    On 07/19/93, Turner filed a Federal Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court, Middle District, which was denied on 06/26/02.

    On 09/09/02, Turner filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal in the United States Court of Appeal, 11th Circuit. On 07/29/03, the USCA affirmed the denial of the petition.

    On 12/20/02, Turner filed a 3.851 Motion in the Circuit Court that was dismissed without prejudice on 05/02/03.

    Turner filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on 03/05/04 that was denied on 05/03/04.

    Turner filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/24/03. The petition was denied on 05/04/04.

    On 11/30/04, Turner filed a 3.203 Motion in the State Circuit Court that was amended on 08/21/06. As of 06/26/08, the motion is stayed pending resolution of Florida Supreme Court review. On 02/09/09, the Florida Supreme Court reversed the State Circuit Court’s disposition and remanded for a new hearing. A new hearing was held, and the motion was denied on 09/14/09.

    On 06/25/08, Turned filed, in the Florida Supreme Court, a Petition for Review of Non-final Order of the 3.203 Motion pending in the Circuit Court and a Motion to stay the proceedings in the Circuit Court. On 06/26/08, the Florida Supreme Court ordered a stay of proceedings for the pending 3.203 Motion in the Circuit Court. On 02/09/09, the Florida Supreme Court reversed the lower court’s disposition and remanded for a new hearing in the 3.203 Motion. No mandate will be issued.

    Turner filed a 3.203 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/19/09. The FSC affirmed the denial of the motion on 09/28/10.

    On 12/27/10, Turner filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court. This petition is currently pending.

  3. #3
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    In today's United States Supreme Court orders, Turner's petition for a writ of certiorari was DENIED.

    Order here

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Today the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals DENIED Turner's application for a successive federal habeas petition asserting he is mentally retarded.

    Opinion here

  5. #5
    Jan
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    On July 29, 2003, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied Turner's habeas petition. Subsequently, on May 3, 2004, the United States Supreme Court denied his petition for a writ of certiorari.

    http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.a...es/03-9251.htm

    In today's United States Supreme Court orders, following the Florida Supreme Court's denial of post-conviction relief, Turner's petition for writ of certiorari was DENIED.

    http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.a...es/12-7136.htm

  6. #6
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    fdoc listed william turner as deceased

  7. #7
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info, bak28!

  8. #8
    mandie5644
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    When did he die?? And does anyone know how he died? cant find anything

  9. #9
    Jan
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    Search on the inmate search website. http://www.dc.state.fl.us/AppCommon/

    He died on July 30, 2014. He was 69 years old.

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    Fruitless 30-year wait for Jacksonville killer's execution ends with no closure for victim's daughter

    Shawn Felder spent nearly 30 years waiting for the Jacksonville man who mutilated and killed her mother and a housemate to be executed before she decided to confront him in person.

    Felder arranged for her siblings, their children and other family members to sit this week for a picture she planned to deliver to William Thaddeus Turner on Death Row next month, whether he agreed to meet her or not. Intent on reminding Turner what he’d stolen, Felder designed the picture to include the face of her mother, Joyce Brown.

    But on July 30, Felder learned that Turner, 69, died hours earlier in prison of natural causes – just a few weeks after the anniversary of her mother’s death. During his Death Row time, Turner survived one death warrant and at least 15 appeals as Felder’s bitterness grew.

    “It had been 30 years, 27 days and 20 hours to the exact day,” Felder said, linking Turner’s death to the July 3, 1984, killings.

    Thirty years of holidays and birthdays without her mother. Thirty years of raising and burying family. Thirty years of angrily counting the pennies from her taxes used to keep Turner alive.

    READ ARCHIVE NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON THE CASE

    Felder said she hopes to find closure by visiting Turner’s grave at the Union Correctional Institution in Raiford one day since his family denied her request to attend the funeral. It’s a trip she never imagined having to make.

    “Why so long?” asked Felder, 50. “Why so long?”

    THE MURDERS

    Joyce Brown was rushing from one job to another when she found a battered, hungry Shirley Turner weeping on a bench with her 7-year-old daughter in Hemming Plaza in late 1983.

    Brown took the two strangers into her home for protection from Turner’s violently abusive husband and the women became fast friends.

    Turner learned his wife was living near downtown with Brown and threatened to kill the women, who were both 37. But the slightly built Brown didn’t fear the 6-foot, 5-inch, 290-pound part-time electrician and Vietnam veteran.

    “My mom never was afraid,” Felder said. “Shirley feared him with every bone in her body.”

    Turner, 39, broke into Brown’s home on July 3, 1984, and repeatedly stabbed his wife with a Rambo-style knife in front of their young daughter. Brown’s 14-year-old daughter, Irene, tried to stop Turner with a gun owned by her mother, but the gun jammed.

    Brown bolted out the front door, ran to a nearby phone booth and called police. A witness said Turner opened the phone booth door, began stabbing Brown and continued as he dragged her outside.

    “You’re the one,” Turner repeatedly shouted, apparently referring to his unproven belief that the women were in a relationship and that Brown had stolen his wife away.

    Brown’s pleas into the phone faded into an eerie silence as she died from more than 50 stab wounds.

    “No, no, no...” she cried.

    Jacksonville police officer J.T. “Bubba” Venosh found Brown’s bloodied body as bystanders pointed toward the fleeing Turner, whom one neighbor tried to stone. Turner surrendered to Venosh at gunpoint moments later.

    Turner’s attorneys, including Hank Coxe, told a judge Turner was a “time bomb” suffering post traumatic stress syndrome from his tour in Vietnam. They failed to have him found incompetent to stand trial. A jury convicted him the next year.

    Felder watched the trial and applauded the verdict.

    “I watched him sitting there as if he thought he was the victim,” Felder said. “Just no remorse.”

    Turner’s family could not be reached for this story.

    In November 1985, the judge sentenced Turner to life for killing his wife and death in Brown’s slaying. Felder’s wait to see Turner dead was then already into its 16th month.

    THE APPEALS

    Turner’s appellate attorneys were denied their first argument that he wasn’t present for crucial pre-trial hearings, including when prospective jurors are questioned about their backgrounds and potential biases.

    A second appeal that the jury was biased by graphic photos of the victims and tapes of Brown’s dying screams was also denied, as was a third appeal.

    Gov. Bob Martinez signed a death warrant in March 1990, nearly six years after the murders. But the Florida Supreme Court granted a stay of execution while considering arguments that Turner’s trial attorneys were ineffective, among other issues. Those appeals were also denied.

    Felder said the state should have executed Turner by then.

    “It was like kicking dirt back in my face, me being forced to live this thing over and over and over and over and over again,” she said. “In my heart it felt like, why is he still getting another chance to live when my momma didn’t have that chance?”

    Turner’s attorneys filed other actions through the years. Those included multiple writs of habeas corpus, when federal judges are asked to review the legality of a state defendant’s arrest, imprisonment, or detention. All were denied, but there were no more death warrants.

    Jacksonville attorney Clyde Collins, one of Turner’s appellate attorneys, said he sympathized with Felder. But Collins said ongoing legislative changes impacting the death penalty and other issues required that the cases be thoroughly aired.

    “Why does it take so long? Because it’s the ultimate penalty and you want to make sure that the legal process is done correctly,” Collins said.

    Felder, a personal health aide, said she was home last month when she learned from a family member that Turner’s prisoner status had somehow changed. She said she called prison authorities, who told her he died hours earlier.

    She called the news bittersweet.

    “Bitter to the point that I didn’t get the opportunity to look him in his eyes again,” she said. “Sweet to the point of knowing that my taxpayer dollars won’t take care of him no more.”

    STILL SEEKING CLOSURE

    Felder said people sometimes question why she can’t let go of her grief after so long. She extends this invitation:

    “Until you put my shoe on, I didn’t say walk in it, put it on and try to stand up ... If you can stand up in it for 30 seconds, then you can talk to me about 30 years, because it’s not an easy shoe to walk in.”

    She said she doesn’t know if her unscheduled visit to Turner’s grave will do any good, but she is hopeful.

    “I’m really praying hard that once I ride that road ... God will give me some peace and some closure,” she said. “If I have to stand there for an hour and cry, let me do this knowing he’s there.”

    Tears fell from Felder’s eyes this week when she took a reporter to a Northside cemetery to see her mother’s grave. She’d recalled being unable to say goodbye at the funeral when, seven months pregnant and hemorrhaging, she was whisked from the procession to the hospital.

    Felder gave birth that day to a daughter. She named her Joyce, after her mother.

    “It took 30 years,” she whispered, looking at the bronze grave marker and tapping it with her right hand. “It was like yesterday.”

    http://jacksonville.com/news/crime/2...#ixzz3BoWj8Wvy
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

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

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