SC03-362 – Ronnie Johnson v. State Of Florida

State: Florida

Docket No: SC03-362

Case Date: 03/31/2005

Preview:Supreme Court of Florida
____________ No. SC03-362 ____________ RONNIE JOHNSON, Appellant, vs. STATE OF FLORIDA, Appellee. ____________ No. SC03-1752 ____________ RONNIE JOHNSON, Petitioner, vs. STATE OF FLORIDA, Respondent. [March 31, 2005] PER CURIAM. Ronnie Johnson appeals an order of the circuit court denying his motion for postconviction relief under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.850 and petitions

the Court for a writ of habeas corpus.1 We affirm the circuit court's order denying Johnson's rule 3.850 motion, and we deny Johnson's petition for a writ of habeas corpus. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Johnson was convicted of the March 20, 1989, first-degree murder of Lee Arthur Lawrence. The jury recommended the death penalty by a vote of seven to five. The trial court followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Johnson to death. His conviction and sentence were affirmed by this Court on direct appeal. The relevant facts in this case are contained in this Court's opinion on direct appeal. See Johnson v. State, 696 So. 2d 317, 319-20 (Fla. 1997) (Johnson I). In a separate trial conducted prior to the Lawrence trial, Johnson was convicted of the March 11, 1989, first-degree murder of Tequila Larkins. See Johnson v. State, 696 So. 2d 326 (Fla. 1997) (Johnson II). The jury recommended the death penalty by a vote of nine to three, and Johnson was sentenced to death by the trial court. Johnson's conviction and sentence were affirmed by this Court on direct appeal. Johnson filed a motion for postconviction relief regarding the Lawrence case on March 1, 2001, an amended motion on March 20, 2001, and a second amended motion on January 18, 2002. In the second amended motion Johnson asserted

1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V,

Download SC03-362 – Ronnie Johnson v. State Of Florida.pdf