SC08-64 – Cary Michael Lambrix v. State of Florida

SUPREME COURT CASES

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State: Florida

Court: Supreme Court

Docket No: sc08-64

Case Date: 04/15/2010

Plaintiff: SC08-64 – Cary Michael Lambrix

Defendant: State of Florida

Preview:Supreme Court of Florida
No. SC08-64
CARY MICHAEL LAMBRIX,
Appellant,
vs.
STATE OF FLORIDA,
Appellee.
[April 15, 2010]
PER CURIAM.
Cary Michael Lambrix was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder
and sentenced to death for the 1983 murders of Clarence Moore and Aleisha
Bryant.  This Court affirmed the convictions and sentences of death in Lambrix v.
State, 494 So. 2d 1143 (Fla. 1986).  This case is now before the Court on appeal
from an order denying a successive motion for postconviction relief.  Among other
claims raised, Lambrix asserted two claims that were the subject of an evidentiary
hearing:  that the main witness against him at trial, Frances Smith,1 had a sexual
1.  Frances Smith has subsequently remarried and is currently known as
Frances Ottinger.  For purposes of this appeal, we refer to her as Smith.

relationship with one of the State’s investigators and that another witness, Deborah
Hanzel, recanted her trial testimony. The trial court, following an evidentiary
hearing on both of these issues, rejected the claim that Smith had a sexual
relationship with an investigator and concluded that Hanzel’s recantation was
unreliable.  We affirm the trial court’s order denying postconviction relief as to
these claims, as well as all other claims raised, for the reasons more fully explained
in this opinion.
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
This death case, which has been in the judicial system for a substantial
period of time, has a lengthy procedural history.  The first trial ended in a mistrial
after the jury could not agree on a verdict.  A second trial was held before a
different judge, Judge Richard M. Stanley, and the jury found Lambrix guilty of
both counts of murder.  After a penalty phase hearing, the jury recommended a
sentence of death by a vote of ten to two for the murder of Aleisha Bryant and by a
vote of eight to four for the murder of Clarence Moore.  The trial court sentenced
the defendant to death, after finding five aggravating circumstances2 and no
2.  The trial judge found the following five aggravating circumstances: (1)
the capital felonies were committed by a person under sentence of imprisonment;
(2) the defendant was previously convicted of another capital felony; (3) the capital
felony was committed for pecuniary gain; (4) the capital felonies were especially
heinous, atrocious, or cruel (HAC); and (5) the capital felonies were committed in
a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal
justification (CCP).
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mitigation in regard to the murder of Moore and four aggravating3 and no
mitigating circumstances in regard to the murder of Bryant.
On appeal, this Court discussed the relevant facts of the underlying crime:
On the evening of February 5, 1983, Lambrix and Frances
Smith, his roommate, went to a tavern where they met Clarence
Moore, a/k/a Lawrence Lamberson, and Aleisha Bryant.  Late that
evening, they all ventured to Lambrix’ trailer to eat spaghetti.  Shortly
after their arrival, Lambrix and Moore went outside.  Lambrix
returned about twenty minutes later and requested Bryant to go
outside with him.  About forty-five minutes later Lambrix returned
alone.  Smith testified that Lambrix was carrying a tire tool and had
blood on his person and clothing.  Lambrix told Smith that he killed
both Bryant and Moore.  He mentioned that he choked and stomped
on Bryant and hit Moore over the head.  Smith and Lambrix
proceeded to eat spaghetti, wash up and bury the two bodies behind
the trailer.  After burying the bodies, Lambrix and Smith went back to
the trailer to wash up.  They then took Moore’s Cadillac and disposed
of the tire tool and Lambrix’ bloody shirt in a nearby stream.
On Wednesday, February 8, 1983, Smith was arrested on an
unrelated charge.  Smith stayed in jail until Friday.  On the following
Monday, Smith contacted law enforcement officers and advised them
of the burial.
A police investigation led to the discovery of the two buried
bodies as well as the recovery of the tire iron and bloody shirt.  A
medical examiner testified that Moore died from multiple crushing
blows to the head and Bryant died from manual strangulation.
Additional evidence exists to support a finding that Lambrix
committed the two murders in question.
Lambrix v. State, 494 So. 2d 1143, 1145 (Fla. 1986).  Some of the additional
evidence included testimony by Deborah Hanzel, who met Lambrix after the
3.  The trial judge found all of the same aggravating factors except that the
capital felony was committed for pecuniary gain.
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murders and saw him in a black Cadillac.  She and her boyfriend, Preston Branch,
helped Lambrix retrieve some of his possessions from Lambrix’s trailer and on the
way back home, Lambrix offered to show them where two bodies were buried and
made incriminating statements.  On appeal, Lambrix raised five issues.4  This
Court affirmed the convictions and sentences of death.   494 So. 2d at 1148.
A death warrant for Lambrix was issued, and his execution was scheduled
for November 30, 1988.  Lambrix filed a motion for postconviction relief in the
trial court and a petition for writ of habeas corpus in this Court.  In his habeas
petition, Lambrix asserted that his appellate counsel was ineffective in failing to
argue numerous issues.5  This Court denied habeas relief.  See Lambrix v. Dugger,
529 So. 2d 1110 (Fla. 1988).  During this time, Lambrix’s motion for
4.  Lambrix raised the following claims: (1) it was unconstitutional to
exclude jurors opposed to the death penalty; (2) the trial court erred in excluding a
certain juror because it violated the standards set forth in Witherspoon v. Illinois,
391 U.S. 510 (1968); (3) the trial court erred by limiting his cross-examination of
the State’s key witness, Frances Smith; (4) the trial court erred in restricting the
cross-examination of Connie Smith (no relation to Frances), a special agent with
the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), concerning a certain
notebook found in a vehicle belonging to one of the victims; and (5) the trial court
erred in allowing the medical examiner, Dr. Schultz, to use the term ―homicide‖ in
reference to the deaths of the victims because there was no proper predicate for
that conclusion.
5.  This Court addressed only two of his claims in its written opinion: (1)
whether appellate counsel was ineffective because he failed to argue several issues
regarding voir dire and the defendant’s absence; and (2) whether appellate counsel
was ineffective for not raising whether the trial judge erred in refusing to instruct
the jury as to voluntary intoxication.
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postconviction relief was also proceeding before the circuit court.  After the circuit
court summarily denied postconviction relief, Lambrix appealed this decision,
raising two claims.6  This Court denied relief.  See Lambrix v. State, 534 So. 2d
1151 (Fla. 1988).  Lambrix then filed a second petition for writ of habeas corpus
with the trial court, which was summarily denied.  On appeal, Lambrix raised one
issue: that his collateral counsel was ineffective for failing to raise a claim of juror
misconduct in his prior motion for postconviction relief.  This Court again denied
relief.  Lambrix v. State, 559 So. 2d 1137 (Fla. 1990).  Lambrix also filed a second
motion for postconviction relief in the circuit court, which was summarily denied
because ―his claims were without merit and procedurally barred as untimely and
successive or abusive.‖  Lambrix v. State, 698 So. 2d 247, 248 (Fla. 1996).  In
affirming the summary denial, this Court concluded that Lambrix was untimely in
presenting the claim that he should have been allowed to represent himself in
postconviction proceedings, particularly since Lambrix waited six years to raise
this claim.  Id. at 248.
Lambrix also filed postconviction attacks in the federal courts.  He filed a
6.  Lambrix raised the following claims: (1) trial counsel was ineffective in
failing to develop additional evidence that would have entitled Lambrix to jury
instructions on voluntary intoxication; and (2) trial counsel was ineffective in not
introducing evidence of Lambrix’s alcoholism during the penalty phase.
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federal habeas petition, raising numerous claims including whether jury
instructions on HAC and CCP violated Espinosa v. Florida, 505 U.S. 1079 (1992).
See Lambrix v. Dugger, No. 88-12107-CIV-Zloch (S.D. Fla. May 12, 1992), aff’d
sub nom. Lambrix v. Singletary, 72 F.3d 1500 (11th Cir. 1996), aff’d, 520 U.S.
518 (1997).  Lambrix’s Espinosa claim was eventually denied.7
As to the remaining issues, the Eleventh Circuit then affirmed the denial of
relief of Lambrix’s federal habeas corpus petition after an evidentiary hearing.
Lambrix v. Singletary, 72 F.3d 1500 (11th Cir. 1996).  The Eleventh Circuit denied
relief without further discussion as to certain claims.8  After analysis, the Eleventh
7.  After the federal district court denied relief, Lambrix appealed to the
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.  Because this Court had
not been given an opportunity to address the substance of the Espinosa claim, the
Eleventh Circuit stayed the proceedings and directed Lambrix to return to the
Supreme Court of Florida to settle any unresolved issues regarding this claim.
Lambrix v. Dugger, No. 92-4539 (11th Cir. Mar. 3, 1993).  In Lambrix v.
Singletary, 641 So. 2d 847 (Fla. 1994), this Court held that Lambrix’s Espinosa
claim was procedurally barred because although it was raised before the trial court,
appellate counsel failed to preserve the error on appeal.  Further, this Court held
that Lambrix was procedurally barred from asserting that appellate counsel was
ineffective based on this failure since he had previously litigated other alleged
instances of ineffective appellate counsel in prior habeas proceedings.  Id. at 848.
The Eleventh Circuit held that the decision in Espinosa could not retroactively
apply under Teague v. Lane, 489 U.S. 288 (1989).  See Lambrix v. Singletary, 72
F.3d 1500, 1503 (11th Cir. 1996).  The Supreme Court of the United States granted
certiorari and affirmed the Eleventh Circuit court’s decision, holding that Espinosa
v. Florida was a new rule and the failure to apply this case retroactively could not
be the basis for federal habeas relief.  Lambrix v. Singletary, 520 U.S. 518 (1997).
8.  The Eleventh Circuit did not elaborate on the following claims, but
simply denied them as meritless: (1) Lambrix’s counsel rendered ineffective
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Circuit denied Lambrix’s claim that he received ineffective assistance during the
sentencing phase of his trial because counsel failed to investigate and present
mitigating evidence of Lambrix’s alcoholism and drug dependence and evidence
that Lambrix had been subject to sexual and physical abuse as a child.  Lambrix,
72 F.3d at 1504-06.  The Eleventh Circuit also denied Lambrix’s claim that
appellate counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to present certain
sentencing issues, that his second trial conducted after the first trial ended in
mistrial was barred by double jeopardy, and that Lambrix was denied his
fundamental right to testify.  Id. at 1506-08.
Lambrix has filed numerous pro se extraordinary writ petitions that this
Court has either denied or dismissed.9  During postconviction proceedings and
before this Court, Lambrix also filed a pro se complaint against some of his
attorneys.  He also previously sought to have this entire Court disqualified because
assistance during the guilt phase; (2) the trial court erred in refusing to grant a
change in venue; (3) the trial court denied Lambrix his right to confront witnesses
against him by limiting the cross-examination of some witnesses; (4) the trial court
erred by failing to give a jury instruction on voluntary intoxication; and (5) the trial
court made miscellaneous erroneous rulings and instructions during sentencing.
9.  See, e.g., Lambrix v. Reece, 705 So. 2d 902 (Fla. 1998) (denying petition
for writ of mandamus); Lambrix v. State, 727 So. 2d 907 (Fla. 1998) (denying
petition for writ of prohibition); Lambrix v. State, 766 So. 2d 221 (Fla. 2004)
(unpublished order dismissing petition for writ of mandamus as moot); Lambrix v.
State, 900 So. 2d 553 (Fla. 2005) (unpublished order dismissing petition for writ of
mandamus); Lambrix v. State, 944 So. 2d 345 (Fla. 2006) (unpublished order
dismissing petition for writ of mandamus).
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Chief Justice Quince is recused.  In his most recent filing, Lambrix filed a pro se
civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983 against his attorneys, Governor
Charlie Crist, Clerk of Court Thomas Hall, Chief Justice Quince, and others,
asserting that there is a conspiracy to deny meritorious claims against death penalty
defendants.  Counsel for Lambrix consequently filed a motion to withdraw,
asserting that this action creates a conflict.  Lambrix then filed a pro se motion
waiving any potential conflict for the limited scope of permitting oral argument to
continue.  This Court denied counsel’s motion to withdraw.
THE PRESENT PROCEEDINGS
This current successive postconviction litigation was pending in the circuit
court for a substantial period of time based on changes in judges, changes in
counsel, and various amendments to the postconviction motion that occurred after
counsel discovered new evidence.  Ultimately, after several evidentiary hearings,
the postconviction court denied relief on all of Lambrix’s claims.  On appeal,
Lambrix raises five issues: (1) whether the State withheld material exculpatory or
impeachment evidence involving a sexual relationship between witness Frances
Smith and State Attorney Investigator Robert Daniels in violation of Brady v.
Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963); (2) whether an important witness (Deborah Hanzel)
recanted her trial testimony; (3) whether the circuit court failed to allow a full and
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fair hearing; (4) whether there was judicial bias during the retrial proceedings; and
(5) whether Lambrix is entitled to a new trial because he is actually innocent.10
Alleged Sexual Relationship
In his first claim, Lambrix alleges that the State suppressed evidence that
would have impeached a key witness: Frances Smith.  In support, he asserts that
new evidence shows Smith had a sexual affair with State Attorney Investigator
Robert Daniels and that she was given an undisclosed plea deal in exchange for her
testimony.  After an evidentiary hearing, the trial court determined that no sexual
relationship between Smith and Daniels occurred and that there was no undisclosed
plea deal.
The two most important witnesses to this claim (Smith and Daniels)
presented diametrically opposed testimony as to whether a sexual relationship ever
occurred.  Specifically, Smith testified at the evidentiary hearing that while
Lambrix was being prosecuted, Smith had a ―one-night stand‖ with the State
Attorney’s investigator, Daniels, who also served as a pilot for the State Attorney’s
Office.  She asserted that she was not attracted to him, that it was not a romantic
affair, and that she was ―definitely not‖ proud of her behavior.  She testified that
10.  We reject without discussion Lambrix’s claim that he is entitled to
relitigate whether he is innocent of the crime based on Schlup v. Delo, 513 U.S.
298 (1995).  Lambrix mischaracterizes the holding of Schlup, which does not
provide a freestanding claim to relitigate claims that are procedurally barred.
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after Daniels flew her down during one of her trips, he called her at her hotel room
and asked her to join him in his hotel room.  They were both probably drinking and
had sex just the one time.  She could not recall when the affair occurred, but it was
during one of the trials against Lambrix—well after she first cooperated in the
investigation and had already given numerous statements as to the events
surrounding the crime.  She did not tell anyone else about this incident and did not
consider this to be an affair or a relationship.
Smith explicitly denied that anyone at the State Attorney’s Office asked her
to change her story and denied that she modified her testimony against Lambrix
after her sexual encounter.  Smith acknowledged that she had no interest in seeing
Lambrix released from prison or obtaining a new trial.
Smith married Douglas Schwendeman about two years after the second trial
concluded.  Schwendeman also testified at the hearing, stating that Smith told him
that during the trial proceedings, she had an affair with an investigator and pilot
named Bob after they flew down and she stayed in his room.  He did not tell
anyone about this conversation until 2004.
Investigator Daniels also testified.  When he first met Smith, he was a little
―jaundiced‖ about her because he believed she had some sort of involvement in the
murder.  Based on her cooperation, he and his current wife (who was an
investigator with him at the time) were able to find the victims’ bodies.  Daniels
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explicitly stated that he did not have sex with Smith and that he ―certainly did not‖
ask her to change her testimony.  During the second trial, he did stay at a hotel in
Moore Haven, but did not recall staying at a hotel at any other time.  He further
provided and discussed his flight logs, which documented the times that Daniels
picked up Smith and other witnesses.
The postconviction court found that no affair occurred, based on the
following findings:
- Frances Smith Ottinger
Frances Smith, n.k.a. Frances Ottinger, was living with the
Defendant at the time of the homicides.  She was a witness for the
State at both trials in 1983 and 1984.  Her testimony at the trials and
every recorded statement or deposition she has made in the past were
received in evidence at the hearing.
Ms. Ottinger testified that she had one sexual encounter with
Mr. Daniels, although she cannot state where or when it occurred in
relation to the pretrial investigation or either of the two trials.  She
does not know when it occurred.  She testified that she remembered
only that it happened in a hotel.  When questioned about details of the
encounter, Ms. Ottinger did not remember any significant facts.  She
repeatedly answered that she ―does not recall,‖ ―does not remember‖
or ―does not know‖ about the time and place of the encounter.  She
could not state the name [of] the town in which the hotel was located.
Ms. Smith answered each question slowly and deliberately.
Her responses were sometimes halting. With nearly every answer that
she gave, she paused for a significant time between the question and
the answer.  She related that she takes several medications for anxiety
and depression.
The Court has listened carefully to what Ms. Ottinger said and
how she said it.  The Court observed how she acted and the Court also
heard what she said. Her testimony is not credible, when considered in
light of all of the evidence.
- Robert M. Daniels
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Robert Daniels also testified.  Mr. Daniels was employed as an
investigator with the State Attorney’s Office of the Twentieth Judicial
Circuit from 1980 through 1994.  He was also a pilot for that office
during those years.  Throughout his tenure, he maintained records of
the flights he made.  Copies of his flight logs were received in
evidence.  At the time of the prosecution of the Defendant, Mr.
Daniels was a lead investigator, and his supervisor was William
McQuinn.  The Chief Investigator at the time of the Defendant’s
prosecution was Ralph Cunningham, now deceased.
Mr. Daniels testified that he first became involved in the case in
1983 after the State Attorney’s Office was notified by FDLE that it
had Ms. Frances Smith, now Ottinger, in their custody and that she
might be involved in the double homicide that is the subject of this
case.  After that notification, Mr. Daniels flew to Tampa and picked
up FDLE Agent Connie Smith (no relation to Frances Smith), and
Frances Smith’s brother.  Mr. Daniels flew them to the Fort Myers
area so that they could talk to the law enforcement officers who were
investigating the homicides.
On cross-examination by the State, Mr. Daniels expressly
denied any sexual relationship with Ms. Ottinger.  Mr. Daniels was at
all times forthright and direct.  He did not evade the questions posed
to him, and he answered each question promptly and without delay.
He never wavered in his denial of a sexual encounter between himself
and Ms. Ottinger.  He said that he did not stay in a hotel during the
pendency of the first trial, but during the second trial he did stay in a
hotel in Moore Haven with the prosecution team.
In addition, the State introduced into evidence copies of the
flight logs maintained by Mr. Daniels throughout his tenure at the
State Attorney’s Office. These records set forth the details of the
flights Mr. Daniels made as a pilot while working for the State
Attorney’s Office.  The records tend to corroborate Mr. Daniels’s
denial of a sexual encounter with Ms. Ottinger, although they do not
negate the possibility of an encounter.
- Doug Schwendeman
The only other witness with any knowledge that might bear
upon the alleged sexual encounter between Ms. Ottinger and Mr.
Daniels was Ms. Ottinger’s ex-husband, Doug Schwendeman.  Mr.
Schwendeman testified for the Defendant that he and Ms. Ottinger
were married on May 31, 1986.  He testified that Ms. Ottinger told
him just prior to their marriage that she had one and perhaps two
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sexual encounters with a ―pilot‖ named ―Bob‖ at sometime during the
prosecution of the Defendant.
That testimony notwithstanding, both the State and defense
stipulated, at pages 151, 152, and 153 of the transcript of the hearing
of July 19 and 20, 2006, that Ms. Ottinger, if called to the stand again,
would testify consistently with her deposition taken January 1, 2006.
At that time she denied ever telling Mr. Schwendeman about the
alleged sexual encounter with Mr. Daniels.
The circumstances surrounding Mr. Schwendeman’s testimony
about the admission of the encounter by Ms. Smith to Mr.
Schwendeman are suspect.  Mr. Schwendeman kept this information
to himself for 18 years, from before May of 1986 until 2004.  Ms.
Ottinger and Mr. Schwendeman had a difficult divorce proceeding.
Finally, Mr. Schwendeman admitted on cross-examination to having
been convicted in 1998 of six counts of sexual abuse on Ms.
Ottinger’s children, as well as domestic violence against Ms. Ottinger.
The testimony of Mr. Schwendeman, offered to rebut a claim of
recent fabrication by Ms. Ottinger, is unpersuasive and did not lend
any clarity to the vagueness of Ms. Ottinger’s testimony.
The Court finds that Ms. Ottinger’s testimony is not credible
and that Mr. Daniels’s testimony is credible.  The testimony of Mr.
Schwendeman is unpersuasive on the issue before the Court.
The Court finds that the alleged sexual encounter between Ms.
Ottinger and Mr. Daniels did not occur.
As is clear from the trial court’s review of the testimony and its detailed
order, the trial court carefully weighed the credibility of the witnesses, ultimately
concluding that no sexual encounter between Frances Smith and Robert Daniels
occurred.  When the postconviction court rules after holding an evidentiary
hearing, this Court ―review[s] the trial court’s findings on questions of fact, the
credibility of witnesses, and the weight of the evidence for competent, substantial
evidence.‖  Green v. State, 975 So. 2d 1090, 1100 (Fla. 2008).  Appellate courts do
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not ―reweigh the evidence or second-guess the circuit court’s findings as to the
credibility of witnesses.‖  Nixon v. State, 2 So. 3d 137, 141 (Fla. 2009) (quoting
Brown v. State, 959 So. 2d 146, 149 (Fla. 2007)).   ―[W]e review the trial court’s
application of the law to the facts de novo.‖  Green, 975 So. 2d at 1100.
We conclude that there is no basis in the record to reject the trial court’s
factual finding that no sexual encounter occurred between Smith and Daniels.  The
trial court evaluated the substance of Smith’s testimony, concluding that Smith was
vague as to when the alleged one-night relationship occurred and that her ex-
husband’s testimony was not credible.  The trial court provided its reasoning in
detail.  The court evaluated Daniels’ explicit denial of a sexual relationship and
found his testimony in this regard was credible and consistent with the flight logs.
However, even if the circuit court had accepted the testimony that a one-
time sexual encounter had occurred, we would conclude that Lambrix cannot show
prejudice, which is the third critical prong of a Brady claim.  To meet the
requirements of Brady, Lambrix must show that (1) favorable evidence—either
exculpatory or impeaching, (2) was willfully or inadvertently suppressed by the
State, and (3) because the evidence was material, the defendant was prejudiced.
See Strickler v. Greene, 527 U.S. 263, 281-82 (1999); see also Way v. State, 760
So. 2d 903, 910 (Fla. 2000).  To meet the materiality prong, the defendant must
demonstrate ―a reasonable probability that the jury verdict would have been
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different had the suppressed information been used at trial.‖  Smith v. State, 931
So. 2d 790, 796 (Fla. 2006) (citing Strickler, 527 U.S. at 289, 296).  A reasonable
probability is a probability sufficient to undermine our confidence in the outcome.
See Way, 760 So. 2d at 913; see also Strickler, 527 U.S. at 290.
An affair between the State’s key witness and the state attorney investigator
would be considered favorable evidence.  Evidence as to a sexual affair between
these witnesses could be used to impeach both Smith and Daniels, because it could
be a basis as to why Daniels focused his investigation on Lambrix (as opposed to
Smith, who was initially arrested while driving the victim’s car).
However, Lambrix cannot demonstrate prejudice—that this suppressed
evidence was sufficient to undermine confidence in the outcome.  Specifically, the
record established that the affair could have only occurred at one time—during the
second trial, when they both had hotel rooms in the same hotel.  Thus, even if the
evidence about the affair had been admitted as proper impeachment, the State
would have been able to present Smith’s prior statements and testimony, which
were consistent with Smith’s testimony at the second trial, in order to rebut any
allegation that her testimony was recently fabricated.11
11.  See § 90.801(2)(b), Fla. Stat. (2009) (providing that a statement is not
hearsay ―if the declarant testifies at the trial or hearing and is subject to cross-
examination concerning the statement and the statement is . . . [c]onsistent with the
declarant’s testimony and is offered to rebut an express or implied charge against
the declarant of improper influence, motive, or recent fabrication‖).
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In fact, Smith’s testimony from the second trial was substantially similar to
statements that she had made at the beginning of the investigation and to the
testimony she provided in the first trial.  Lambrix raises aspects of the testimony
that he asserts represent a change in her testimony.  After reviewing these alleged
discrepancies, we find that any differences as to the specific details were minor and
that these details did not change in any respect the key evidence she provided
regarding the night of the crime, including Lambrix’s confession to her and her
assistance in helping Lambrix to bury the bodies.  Further, during the evidentiary
hearing, Smith again affirmed her prior testimony and neither recanted nor
changed her testimony inculpating Lambrix.
Even if the subject of the alleged one-time affair could be the subject of
cross-examination in an attempt to impeach Smith, there is no basis to conclude
that the jury would have disregarded or not found credible the substantial
testimony Smith provided as to the facts of the murders.  Thus, Lambrix cannot
establish the materiality prong of Brady—that confidence in the outcome is
undermined.  See Way, 760 So. 2d at 910.
As another part of the Brady claim, Lambrix asserts that there was an
undisclosed plea agreement between Smith and the State.12
12.  In addition, Lambrix asserts that he was denied due process because the
trial court limited his ability to call certain witnesses.  This issue is also raised in
claim 3 and is discussed there.
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In the final order denying relief, the circuit court found:
In addition, there is no evidence before this Court that the State
in any way participated in the various improprieties that have been
alleged throughout these postconviction proceedings.  There is no
evidence of a plea deal with Ms. Ottinger, nor is there any evidence
that the State was aware of any misconduct on the part of one of its
investigators.  Of course it goes without saying that because the Court
has found that no such misconduct occurred, it is plain that the jury
would never have heard about it at the time this case was tried.
There is competent, substantial evidence to support the finding that there was no
undisclosed plea deal between the State and Smith, and accordingly we deny this
aspect of the claim.
Alleged Recantation of Deborah Hanzel
In his second claim, Lambrix asserts that the postconviction court erred in
failing to find that witness Deborah Hanzel recanted and that Smith and a state
agent coerced her to lie.  This claim is based on the newly discovered evidence of
Hanzel’s recent testimony.
Hanzel was one of the witnesses who testified at both the initial trial and the
second trial as to certain incriminating statements that Lambrix allegedly made.
Specifically, she met Lambrix with her boyfriend, Preston Branch, and saw
Lambrix drive a black Cadillac.  Around February 12, 1983, she, Branch, and
Lambrix drove to an abandoned trailer to help Lambrix gather some of his
possessions.  On the way back, Lambrix said that for $100, he could show her
―where I killed two people and buried [them].‖  He later called her after a
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newspaper article stated that police were looking for Lambrix, and during that
conversation, she asked him if it was true that he killed the victim for his car.
Lambrix replied, ―[T]hat was of the reason [sic].‖  Branch, who was with Lambrix
and Hanzel when the statements were made, corroborated Hanzel’s testimony.
During successive postconviction proceedings, Hanzel was deposed in 1998
and stated that Lambrix never admitted that he killed anyone, which contradicted
her trial testimony.  During an evidentiary hearing, Hanzel again testified that
Lambrix never stated that he killed two people and that she testified otherwise
because police made her fearful of Lambrix.  The trial court denied the claim,
stating in pertinent part:
The Court has reviewed the transcript of the sworn statement
given by Deborah Hanzel before trial, as well as the transcript of her
trial testimony.  The Court compared those transcripts with the
testimony given at this evidentiary hearing.  Even when taken in the
light most favorable to the Defendant, perhaps all that counsel has
proven is that Ms. Hanzel does not now have a very good memory of
something that occurred nearly twenty years ago.
For example, Ms. Hanzel recalls today that the Defendant told
her about buried bodies, but she now asserts that he did not say
anything about killing them.  Ms. Hanzel also states that she does not
now remember ―the phone calls‖ she received from the Defendant
after the crimes were committed (although she testified about them at
trial).  Ms. Hanzel does not, however, now deny that the calls were
placed.
In addition, Ms. Hanzel concedes that she remembers some
things, but not others.  She allowed that some statements she made
which were recorded twenty years ago did not refresh her recollection,
while at the same time asserting that she does not ―recollect‖ that the
Defendant confessed to the killings.
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Upon evaluation of the testimony of Ms. Hanzel (and the other
two witnesses who testified at the hearing), it is apparent that perhaps
the only thing Ms. Hanzel knows for certain at this time is that twenty
years ago she believed Mr. Lambrix killed two people and buried their
bodies behind a trailer in Glades County, but now she does not.
At no time during this proceeding did Ms. Hanzel repudiate her
prior testimony or otherwise acknowledge that she did not tell the
truth at any time she was placed under oath in 1983 or 1984.
After the trial court denied the claim, but while the motion for rehearing was
pending, Hanzel wrote a letter to the court that stated Lambrix never threatened
her; rather, the police and Smith convinced her that Lambrix was a threat.  In the
letter, she further asserted that Smith told Hanzel that if Hanzel would ―back up‖
Smith that Lambrix admitted the murders, they would no longer need to worry
about him.  In her letter, she further stated that she did not tell the truth at the most
recent evidentiary hearing.  Hanzel followed the letter with an affidavit to the same
effect.  The postconviction court ordered a further evidentiary hearing based on
Hanzel’s latest statements.  At this hearing, Hanzel testified that Lambrix never
told her that he killed Bryant or Moore.  Moreover, Hanzel testified that Smith
stated Lambrix attacked Moore after Moore ―went nuts.‖
Lambrix also testified under oath at the evidentiary hearing to support
Hanzel’s testimony regarding what Lambrix told Smith (that he had to hit the male
victim after he ―went nuts‖).  According to Lambrix, he told Smith the following
account: after he invited both victims outside, Bryant and Moore began to fight, so
Lambrix attempted to leave.  On his way back, he heard a scream, grabbed a tire
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iron, and ran back.  He saw Moore straddling Bryant and tried to push him off.
Moore attempted to ―come at [him],‖ so he continued to swing the tire iron at
Moore until he realized that Moore ―was down.‖  He denied that he ever admitted
to killing either victim on purpose.
In its final order denying relief, the circuit court made the following findings
as to Hanzel’s credibility:
With regard to Deborah Hanzel, the Court is presented with a
confused witness who made equivocating statements about testimony
she gave with respect to a double homicide that occurred well over
twenty years ago.  As the Court previously ruled on July 9, 2003,
Hanzel’s testimony never met the legal requirements for a recantation.
The court then denied relief as follows:
With regard to Claim II (the Hanzel recantation) the Court finds that
there is no credible evidence to support the Defendant’s allegations.
The Court stands by its ruling previously made on July 9, 2003, and
nothing that the Court has heard since has caused it to reach a contrary
conclusion.  Claim II is, one [sic] again, DENIED.
To set aside a conviction based on newly discovered evidence, Lambrix
must meet two prongs: (1) the ―asserted facts must have been unknown by the trial
court, by the party, or by counsel at the time of trial, and it must appear that
defendant or his counsel could not have known them by the use of diligence;‖ and
(2) ―the newly discovered evidence must be of such nature that it would probably
produce an acquittal on retrial.‖  Jones v. State, 591 So. 2d 911, 915-16 (Fla. 1991)
(emphasis in original).  In determining whether the evidence compels a new trial,
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the trial court must ―consider all newly discovered evidence which would be
admissible and must evaluate the weight of both the newly discovered evidence
and the evidence which was introduced at the trial.‖  Tompkins v. State, 994 So. 2d
1072, 1086 (Fla. 2008) (internal quotation marks omitted) (quoting Jones, 591 So.
2d at 916), cert. denied, 129 S. Ct. 1305 (2009).  As newly discovered evidence
pertains to a recent recantation, this Court has stated:
Recantation by a witness called on behalf of the prosecution
does not necessarily entitle a defendant to a new trial.  In determining
whether a new trial is warranted due to recantation of a witness’s
testimony, a trial judge is to examine all the circumstances of the case,
including the testimony of the witnesses submitted on the motion for
the new trial.   ―Moreover, recanting testimony is exceedingly
unreliable, and it is the duty of the court to deny a new trial where it is
not satisfied that such testimony is true.  Especially is this true where
the recantation involves a confession of perjury.‖  Only when it
appears that, on a new trial, the witness’s testimony will change to
such an extent as to render probable a different verdict will a new trial
be granted.
Archer v. State, 934 So. 2d 1187, 1196 (Fla. 2006) (quoting Armstrong v. State,
642 So. 2d 730 (Fla. 1994)).
As this Court has noted repeatedly, recanted testimony is ―exceedingly
unreliable.‖  Heath v. State, 3 So. 3d 1017, 1024 (Fla. 2009); see also Kormondy v.
State, 983 So. 2d 418, 438 (Fla. 2007); Archer, 934 So. 2d at 1196.  When
reviewing a trial court’s determination relating to the credibility of a recantation,
this Court is ―highly deferential‖ to the trial court and will affirm the lower court’s
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determination so long as it is supported by competent, substantial evidence.  Heath,
3 So. 3d at 1024.
Having reviewed the full record and the postconviction court’s findings, we
conclude that there is competent, substantial evidence for the court’s ruling.  The
statements that most strongly support Lambrix’s recantation claim were presented
in Hanzel’s affidavit.  However, when Hanzel was questioned about these
statements at the second evidentiary hearing, she generally could not testify to
those statements on her own and referred to the affidavit to ―refresh‖ her
recollection.
Further, even if Hanzel had not testified at trial that Lambrix stated he killed
two people, the recantation would not be of such a nature that it would ―probably
produce an acquittal on retrial.‖  Hanzel never recanted her testimony that Lambrix
offered to show her where two bodies were buried.  Even without Hanzel’s
testimony, there would still be the testimony of Branch that he heard Lambrix
make statements similar to those to which Hanzel testified.
Moreover, Hanzel was not the main witness to testify against Lambrix.
Even without her testimony, there would still be the testimony of Lambrix himself
at this most recent evidentiary hearing that he struck one of the victims using a tire
iron, although he denied that he intended to kill either victim.  Further, there was
other significant evidence at the trial that pointed to Lambrix as the perpetrator of
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these murders.  This evidence included the following: Smith’s testimony regarding
the murders and that Lambrix threatened her if she did not help him bury the
bodies; Deputy Sheriff Ron Council’s testimony that he saw Lambrix and Smith
with the victims on the night of the murders; John Chezum’s testimony that on
February 6 around 2:30 in the morning, Lambrix drove up in a car that resembled
the victims’ car and asked to borrow a shovel; and the victims were found buried
near the trailer in which Lambrix was living.  For the reasons above, Lambrix is
not entitled to relief on this claim.13
Whether Lambrix Was Given a Full and Fair Hearing
In his third claim, Lambrix asserts that the postconviction court prevented
Lambrix from presenting various witnesses who would have supported Hanzel’s
recantation, thus denying him a full and fair evidentiary hearing.  Specifically,
Lambrix sought to have the following three categories of witnesses testify: (1) two
forensic pathologists who would have explained the significance of the
deficiencies that they found in Bryant’s autopsy; (2) an expert in police procedures
and criminal investigations who would have discussed how an unbiased and
13.  As a part of this claim, Lambrix also raises numerous allegations about
the ―state intervention and misconduct.‖  He does not challenge any circuit court
rulings, and to the extent that he raises those claims here as a basis for relief, he has
waived such claims because he failed to secure a ruling by the court below on such
matters.  See, e.g., Jones v. State, 998 So. 2d 573, 581 (Fla. 2008) (―To be
preserved, the issue or legal argument must be raised and ruled on by the trial
court.‖).
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objective investigation should have been conducted and how a sexual affair would
have impacted an investigation; and (3) three additional witnesses who would have
testified that the property where the murder occurred did not have a pond.
None of the general testimony of the expert witnesses or the lay witnesses
would have been relevant to either the Brady or newly discovered evidence claims
in this case.  Accordingly, because the trial court did not abuse its discretion in
refusing to admit this testimony, we deny this claim.
Alleged Judicial Bias
The fourth and last issue we address is Lambrix’s claim that newly
discovered evidence established that his trial judge was biased.14  He based this
claim on statements Judge Stanley made during a January 1997 evidentiary hearing
in another death penalty case, which involved defendant Raleigh Porter.  In that
case, Judge Stanley overrode the jury’s recommendation of life and imposed a
death sentence.  Porter v. State, 723 So. 2d 191, 193 (Fla. 1998).  The defendant in
14.  We summarily reject Lambrix’s claim that he was deprived of a full and
fair hearing because Judge Stanley died before the circuit court permitted Lambrix
to take a deposition of Judge Stanley.  As another subclaim to this issue, Lambrix
asserts that the trial court erred in failing to order either production or an in camera
inspection as to his request for records from the Florida Parole Commission, which
he had requested in order to review Judge Stanley’s comments concerning
clemency for Lambrix in 1987, 1988, and 1994.  We reject this claim because
Lambrix failed to obtain a ruling on this motion.  Rhodes v. State, 986 So. 2d 501,
513 (Fla. 2008) (―To be preserved, the issue or legal argument must be raised and
ruled on by the trial court.‖).
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Porter subsequently learned, through a variety of sources, including the Clerk of
the Circuit Court of Glades County, that Judge Stanley had made statements
indicating his predisposition to sentence that particular defendant to death, even
before the jury made its recommendation.  Id. at 194.  This Court vacated the death
sentence based on the statements of actual judicial bias and remanded for a new
penalty phase before an impartial judge.  Id. at 197.
In this case, the defendant relies on specific statements Judge Stanley made
during the Porter case, as well as testimony that Judge Stanley gave in that case
pertaining to his general beliefs about the death penalty.  The postconviction court
summarily denied relief, holding in relevant part:
[T]his claim is legally insufficient because the motion does not allege
any evidence of judicial bias in this case.  The defendant bases this
claim on the decision of Porter v. State, 723 So. 2d 191 (Fla. 1998)
and the facts of judicial bias relied on by the supreme court in
reaching its decision in that case.  In this case, the state does not
dispute any of the facts from the record in Porter.  The trial judge in
Porter was the same trial judge who tried this case.  Porter was tried in
November, 1978, and sentencing in that case was concluded in 1981
after the first sentencing order was reversed due to a procedural
defect.  This case was tried in February, 1984.
In Porter, the defendant’s motion alleged evidence of judicial
bias against Mr. Porter, that is, statements of the trial judge in March
1995 to newspaper reporters and the affidavit of the clerk of court
dated that same month which told of a conversation between the clerk
and the trial judge before or during Mr. Porter’s trial in 1978.  Once
these allegations were developed by discovery and an evidentiary
hearing, the supreme court found evidence of actual bias against Mr.
Porter.
However, in this case, there is no evidence of bias against Mr.
Lambrix alleged in the motion beyond the trial judge’s statements in
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the record in Porter to the effect that he favored the death penalty.
Porter did not decide the trial judge was generally unable to be
impartial in capital cases.  Further, in Porter, the trial judge overrode
the jury’s recommendation of the death penalty.
We affirm this ruling.  In Lambrix’s successive postconviction motion, Lambrix
confines his argument to very limited portions of Judge Stanley’s testimony in the
Porter evidentiary hearing.  As the trial court pointed out, although some of the
trial judge’s statements indicate that he favored the death penalty, Lambrix did not
point to any specific statements that were directed to his case and did not point to
any statements that Judge Stanley was predisposed in Lambrix’s case to impose the
death penalty.  His argument rests on the assumption that because there is evidence
to show that Judge Stanley was predisposed to sentence Porter to death, he was
therefore predisposed to sentence all defendants to death.
We reject that argument.  In Porter, we never held that the trial judge was
unable to be impartial in all capital cases, but held only that Judge Stanley lacked
the necessary impartiality as to the sentencing phase of Porter’s trial.  Porter, 723
So. 2d at 198-99.  This case does not involve a judicial override of a life
recommendation or any statements attributable to Judge Stanley indicating a
predisposition to sentence Lambrix to death.  This Court has recognized that
judicial misconduct in one case does not mean that courts must presume
misconduct in all cases.  See, e.g., Maharaj v. State, 778 So. 2d 944, 952 (Fla.
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2000).  Accordingly, we deny this claim and hold that Lambrix is not entitled to
relief.
CONCLUSION
Accordingly, we affirm the circuit court’s denial of Lambrix’s successive
motion for postconviction relief.
It is so ordered.
PARIENTE, LEWIS, CANADY, POLSTON, LABARGA, and PERRY, JJ.,
concur.
QUINCE, C.J., recused.
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION, AND
IF FILED, DETERMINED.
An Appeal from the Circuit Court in and for Glades County,
R. Thomas Corbin, Judge - Case No. 83-12 CF
Neal A. Dupree, Capital Collateral Regional Counsel, William M. Hennis, III,
Litigation Director, and Craig J. Trocino, Staff Attorney, CCRC- South, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida,
for Appellant
Bill McCollum, Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, and Carol M. Dittmar,
Senior Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, Florida,
for Appellee
- 27 -

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