Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Daniel Nelson Robinson Gets LWOP in 2014 GA Slaying of Bill Davitte

  1. #1
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    13,014

    Daniel Nelson Robinson Gets LWOP in 2014 GA Slaying of Bill Davitte


    Bill DaVitte





    DA to seek the death penalty in Martinez church parking lot murder


    MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW) -- The local District Attorney intends to seek the death penalty for a man accused of shooting and killing a Martinez man in a church parking lot, court documents show.

    Daniel Robinson is also accused of hurting a woman and killing her husband who was trying to help in an attempted carjacking, officers said.

    Robinson's been indicted on nine felony counts including murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    For the murder charges alone, Robinson could have faced life in prison, life without parole or the death penalty if found guilty.

    In Augusta, Bill and Jenny Davitte stopped by the Marvin United Methodist Church to turn on the sprinkler system, investigators said. Robinson approached Jenny, who was sitting alone in her car, and started beating her in the head.

    Bill ran over to help his wife and Robinson shot him three times, officers said. Robinson took the car and was later caught by Florida Highway Patrol near Jacksonville.

    http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/S...278399401.html

  2. #2
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    13,014
    Pre-trial begins in Daniel Robinson murder case

    COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. - A pretrial hearing was held Wednesday morning for the man accused of murdering a Martinez man in a church parking lot in 2014.

    The state's road to Daniel Robinson's death penalty case is in its early stages. Wednesday's procedural motions addressed issues that may come up during the appeals process before the trial actually starts.

    Judge Carl Brown approved the defense's motion to have Robinson dress in civilian clothing during the trial but denied a request to allow him unshackled.

    Robinson is accused of murdering Bill Davitte and attacking Davitte's wife outside Marvin United Methodist Church in Columbia County. Allegedly stole the couple's car after the attack and fled to Florida, where he was later apprehended after a high-speed chase.

    District Attorney Ashley Wright says that the state will pursue the Death Penalty in this case. Robinson has already pleaded "not guilty."

    http://www.nbc26.tv/story/29232339/p...on-murder-case

  3. #3
    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    FRANCE
    Posts
    3,073
    Court sees video of confession in 2014 death at Martinez church

    Columbia County Superior Court Judge Carl C. Brown heard evidence Thursday in a pre-trial hearing for a Florida man charged with the shooting death of William “Bill” DaVitte in a Martinez church parking lot in 2014.

    Daniel Nelson Robinson, 23, appeared in court as evidence in the death penalty case was presented by District Attorney Ashley Wright, including an interrogation video where Robinson admits to the killing. In the courtroom were members of DaVitte’s family, including his wife, Jennifer, who Robinson is accused of assaulting.

    The court heard accounts of two Flor*ida Highway Patrol troopers, a Jacksonville County sheriff’s investigator and detective and a Columbia County sheriff’s investigator. The five men were questioned individually by Wright and by Robinson’s attorneys, Ryan Swingle and Adam Levin of the Northeast Regional Capital Defenders office.

    Robinson is accused of shooting and killing DaVitte after pistol-whipping Jennifer DaVitte in the parking lot of Marvin United Methodist Church, then stealing the couple’s 2010 Nissan Murano. According to authorities, Robinson fled with the vehicle back to Jacksonville, Fla., where he led police on a chase before his capture.

    Robinson was brought back to Columbia County and pleaded not guilty in January 2015 to murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, hijacking a motor vehicle and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

    Wright presented evidence Thurs*day on how authorities learned Robinson was headed to Flori*da from two clerks at a Peach Orchard Road gas station who became suspicious after seeing the blood-covered Robinson in the store asking for directions.

    The court was shown dashcam footage of a Florida trooper during the chase, with speeds topping 110 mph.

    The interrogation video was also presented in which Robinson confessed to the crime while in custody in Jacksonville County.

    In the footage, Robinson initially denies knowing anything about the shooting and says he merely attempted to hitch a ride back to Jacksonville. He told investigators that he was simply looking for a way to get back home after riding to Augusta with his cousin.

    Robinson later admits to the shooting and is heard telling investigators that he had no idea Jennifer DaVitte was in the passenger seat when he got in.

    Robinson told the officers that he only gently hit Jennifer DaVitte in the head with the butt of his gun, from being startled. He later said William DaVitte came up behind him and frightened him so much that he turned around and fired three shots, killing DaVitte.

    Robinson described where blood splattered into the vehicle, after he shot Da*Vitte. At this period in the video, Robinson becomes visibly upset when he describes how he got William DaVitte’s blood on his face because of how close he was.

    Robinson said that he drove until he came to what he described as a large river and threw the pistol into the water. After Robinson’s confession, he is seen minutes later sobbing in the interrogation room, saying that his life was “really over.”

    Brown approved the defense’s request for 30 days to construct briefs using transcripts from the hearing. The state will then also have 30 days to review the defense’s briefs.

    http://chronicle.augusta.com/node/626793#

  4. #4
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    20,875
    Suppression issue in Columbia County death penalty case

    By Sandy Hodson
    The Augusta Chronicle

    Attorneys for a Florida man accused of gunning down a Columbia County resident in a church parking lot contend the circumstances of Daniel Robinson’s arrest and questioning requires the suppression of physical evidence and his statement. It’s a contention the prosecution says lack merit.

    It will be up to Judge John Flythe to decide which side is correct. A hearing has not been set.

    Robinson is accused of killing William “Bill” Davitte, 55, the night of Aug. 14, 2014, in the parking lot of Marvin United Methodist Church. If a Columbia County Superior Court jury finds him guilty of murder, the prosecutor intends to seek a sentence of death.

    District Attorney Natalie Paine responded Friday to the defense team’s suppression motions, writing that Robinson’s arrest was lawful and that his statement was given voluntarily. The Florida Highway Patrol and Jacksonville Police Department were looking for Davitte’s 2010 Nissan Murano because the driver was suspected of being involved in Davitte’s killing, which took place around 10:30 p.m. An officer spotted the vehicle and gave chase but lost sight of it.

    The car was later found abandoned and officers set up a search perimeter. Around 4 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2014, a Jacksonville police officer spotted a black man in a white T-shirt, which was the description given by the trooper who tried to stop the vehicle earlier, inside the perimeter.

    Defense attorneys Adam Levin and Erin Wallace contend the vague description may have given the officer the right to briefly stop and question Robinson, but it did not rise to the level that the officer took – pulling his gun, ordering Robinson to the ground, threatening to shoot him, searching him, handcuffing him, and putting him in his patrol car.

    The prosecutor countered that the officer also saw what he believed to be blood on Robinson’s clothing and book bag, increasing the need to verify Robinson’s identity. The officer put him in a patrol car and drove him to a nearby residence to check Robinson’s contention that he had just left that house. The officer determined that was a lie, according to Paine’s brief.

    About 12 hours after his arrest, two Columbia County sheriff’s investigators arrived in Jacksonville to question Robinson. They read Robinson his rights, which included the right to remain silent and to end the interview at any time. Robinson then launched a profanity-laced tirade at them. The investigators left the room and a Jacksonville detective went in and started asking Robinson questions, both sides agree.

    The defense’s brief contends Robinson clearly indicated to the officers that he was invoking his right to remain silent, which means officers must stop the questioning. The Columbia County officers understood what Robinson meant because they left the room, and the Jacksonville detective failed to honor Robinson’s right to terminate the interrogation.

    The prosecution contends Robinson’s statements were not a clear invocation of the right to remain silent and end the interview, and that after Robinson began talking he asked for the Columbia County investigators to return to the room.

    http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/20...h-penalty-case
    "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.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  5. #5
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    20,875
    February 21, 2018

    New motions filed in 2014 Columbia County murder case

    By Abbagail Lennon
    The Augusta Chronicle

    A Florida man facing charges for a 2014 murder in Columbia County appeared in court Wednesday as defense attorneys presented more than 20 requests for the pending jury trial.

    Daniel Nelson Robinson pleaded not guilty, and will stand trial for the shooting death of William “Bill” DaVitte in the parking lot of Martinez United Methodist Church on Aug. 14, 2014. Superior Court Judge Carl Brown heard dozens of additional motions from defense attorneys for the upcoming jury trial.

    The motions included multiple requests ranging from how jurors will be selected and sequestered as well as the use of bailiffs and how they are appointed, including a request to preclude the word “murder” from being used during the trial.

    Brown has not released orders on all motions presented, save for the few District Attorney Natalie Paine did not object to, or others that were outright denied, such as a motion requesting juror notes be included as record in the case, among others.

    According to court dockets, the case is also currently awaiting a decision by Judge John Flythe on a previously filed motion contending the circumstances of Daniel Robinson’s arrest and questioning require the suppression of physical evidence and his statement.

    Previous reports in The Augusta Chronicle stated authorities said DaVitte’s wife was sitting in the passenger seat of their 2010 Nissan Murano in the church’s parking lot at about 10:30 p.m. when Robinson approached her, tapped on the window and demanded she open the door. Robinson then beat her with the handgun.

    DaVitte came running when he heard his wife scream and honk the horn. Police said Robinson shot him three times and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Robinson drove away in the couple’s vehicle.

    Florida authorities spotted the vehicle near Jack*sonville and a pursuit reached speeds over 100 mph before Robinson abandoned the vehicle and ran. He was soon captured.

    Robinson was extradicted to Columbia County in September 2014 to face charges of three counts of murder, two counts possession of firearm during commission of a crime, hijacking a motor vehicle, armed robbery, aggaravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    In Florida, Robinson is facing additional charges of motor vehicle theft, resisting arrest, fleeing and attempting to elude law enforcement, reckless driving, trespassing and driving without a license.

    Robinson had been arrested at least seven times since 2011.

    Since being extradited to Columbia County, four new felony obstruction charges for assaulting deputies have been tacked on to Robinson.

    https://www.augustachronicle.com/new...ty-murder-case
    "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.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  6. #6
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    20,875
    Busy year ahead for courts in Richmond County

    By Sandy Hodson
    The Augusta Chronicle

    Two death penalty cases in the Augusta Judicial Circuit theoretically could go to trial in 2020, but pretrial hearings are still pending for Daniel Robinson in Columbia County and Leon Tripp in Richmond County.

    Robinson has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in the Aug. 14, 2014, death of William R. Davitte, 55. Davitte was shot to death and his wife attacked that night when they stopped at Marvin United Methodist Church to check the sprinkler system.

    Columbia County sheriff’s investigators believe Robinson attacked the couple to steal the 2010 Nissan Murano they were driving.

    Tripp has pleaded not guilty in the April 2017 death of his stepdaughter Latania Janell Carwell. Her mother, Tanya, who is also charged with murder, reported Carwell missing on her 16th birthday, April 17, 2017. The Tripps were arrested at an Atlanta area U-Haul facility in May 2017. Carwell’s remains were discovered in a shallow grave off Golden Camp Road in March 2018.

    Tripp’s possible trial could be delayed because the case is assigned to Judge Michael N. Annis, who has announced his retirement. Chief Judge Carl C. Brown Jr. said the Superior Court judges will discuss what to do with Tripp’s case at their monthly meeting later this month.

    https://www.augustachronicle.com/new...ichmond-county
    "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.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  7. #7
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Posts
    2,740

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •