Florida Supreme Court Oral Argument Press Summaries

Oral Argument Press Summaries
January 7-9, 15, & 29, 2002

RobertCraig Waters, Director of Public Information
(850) 414-7641

Florida Supreme Court OralArguments
Monday, January 7, 2002
Arrive early. Times &order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice.Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.table border width="100%">

Case

Time

Facts & Issues

Place of Origin

Amendments to Rules RegulatingThe Florida Bar

SC01-1509

View briefs in Acrobatformat by clicking the case number(s) here

9:00

The Florida Bar petitionsthe Court to make changes in the rules governing the legal profession.

Statewide impact

Matthew Marshall v. Stateof Florida

SC00-1186

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Approx. 9:40

Marshall was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the November 1988 murder of fellow inmate JeffreyHenry in Martin Correctional Institute. His sentence was affirmed on appeal.He now challenges its validity.

Martin County

Orange County v. CostcoWholesale Corp.

SC01-382

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Approx. 10:30

Costco and other liquorvendors filed suit challenging an Orange County zoning ordinance prohibitingany vendor from opening a new store within 5,000 feet of an existing liquorstore. Orange County contended that the separation requirement was meantto disperse liquor stores rather than let them become concentrated in "combatzones." The trial court upheld the ordinance, but the Fifth District Courtreversed on appeal, finding that the only plausible purpose underlyingthe ordinance was to create zones in which established stores would havea virtual monopoly.

Orange County

Ronald Lee Bell, Jr.v. State of Florida

SC00-1185

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Approx. 11:10

Bell and others were chargedwith the February 1999 murder of Cordell S. Richards. He was tried andconvicted, and the jury recommended the death penalty 12-to-0. The trialjudge agreed. This is Bell's direct appeal.

Okaloosa County

Florida Supreme Court OralArguments
Tuesday, January 8, 2002
Arrive early. Times &order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice.Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.

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Case

Time

Facts & Issues

Place of Origin

John C. Marquard v. Stateof Florida

SC00-253and SC00-1540

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9:00

Marquard was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the June 1991 murder of Stacey Willets. Hissentence was affirmed on appeal. He now challenges it validity.

St. John's County

Joseph Cephas v. MarkJ. Letzter, M.D.

SC01-374

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Approx. 9:40

Cephas was diagnosed withdiabetes in 1990, and a doctor later discovered he had a gangrenous toe.The doctor allegedly failed to amputate the toe, resulting in infectionand the partial loss of a foot. A second doctor allegedly neglected tofollow up with necessary medical care after surgey, resulting in the lossof the leg below the knee. Both physicians were found partially at faultby a jury, which awarded Cephas $1.8 million. This case involves how thatfault should be apportioned.

Palm Beach County

Louis B. Gaskin v. Stateof Florida

SC00-2025

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Approx. 10:30

Gaskins was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the December 1989 murders of Robert and GeorgetteSturmfels. His sentences were affirmed on appeal. He now challenges theirvalidity.

Volusia County

Harry Franklin Phillipsv. State of Florida

SC00-2248and SC01-1460

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Approx. 11:30

Phillips was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the August 1982 murder of Bjorn Thomas Svensonnear the Parole & Probation Building in Miami. His sentence was affirmedon appeal. He now challenges it validity.

Dade County

Florida Supreme Court OralArguments
Wednesday, January 9,2002
Arrive early. Times &order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice.Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.

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Case

Time

Facts & Issues

Place of Origin

Allen Ward Cox v. Stateof Florida

SC00-1751

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9:00

Cox was charged with theDecember 1998 murder of fellow inmate Thomas M. Baker, Jr., in Lake CorrectionalInstitute. A jury found him guilty and recommended the death penalty 10-to-2.The trial judge imposed it. This is his direct appeal.

Lake County

Loretta Reed v. Stateof Florida

SC01-1238

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Approx. 10:00

Reed was accused of severalcharges related to child abuse. She was convicted following a jury instructionthat failed to inform the jury about a disputed element of the crime. Thejudge sentenced her to 107 and ½ months in prison. On appeal, theState conceded error, but the First District rejected this concession andaffirmed.

Columbia County

Richard Bryant Weddellv. State of Florida

SC01-751

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Approx. 10:40

Weddell was tried and convictedof dealing in stolen property taken from Eastern Shipbuilders, Inc. Thejudge sentenced him as a habitual felony offender to 25 years in prison.On appeal, the First District affirmed Weddell's conviction but also ruledthat a standard jury instruction was not legally correct. Weddell now challengesthe validity of his conviction, while the State challenges the ruling onthe jury instruction.

Bay County

Florida Supreme Court OralArguments
Tuesday, January 15,2002
Arrive early. Times &order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice.Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.

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Case

Time

Facts & Issues

Place of Origin

Amos Lee King, Jr. v.State of Florida

SC68,631and SC02-1 and SC02-2

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9:00

King was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the March 18, 1977, murder of Natalie Brady.His sentence was affirmed on appeal. The Governor has now issued a deathwarrant for King, to be executed at 6 p.m., January 24, 2002.

Pinellas County

Florida Supreme Court OralArguments
Tuesday, January 29,2002
Arrive early. Times &order of appearance are tentative and subject to change with no notice.Cases may be postponed due to exigent circumstances.

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Case

Time

Facts & Issues

Place of Origin

Larry Bottoson v. Stateof Florida

SC60,708

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9:00

Bottoson was tried, convicted,and sentenced to death for the December 29, 1979, murder of Catherine WillieAlexander. His sentence was affirmed on appeal. The Governor has now issueda death warrant for Bottoson, to be executed at 6 p.m. February 5, 2002.

Orange County

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