The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly.  This information, however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied on for statistical or legal purposes.

 

COOK, David (B/M)

DC #   100018   

DOB:   02/01/64 

 

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County, Case #84-19874

Sentencing & Resentencing Judge: The Honorable Thomas M. Carney

Trial Attorney: Arthur W. Carter – Private 

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Geoffrey C. Fleck – Special Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal (RS): Geoffrey C. Fleck – Special Assistant Public Defender

Attorneys, Collateral Appeals:  Rachel Day – CCRC-S 

 

Date of Offense:                       08/15/84     

Date of Sentence:                     10/25/85

Date of Resentencing:              02/05/90         

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

David Cook was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Onelia Betancourt on 08/15/84.

 

Onelia Betancourt and her husband Rolando were found dead at a Miami Burger King where they were employed as the late-night cleaning crew. 

 

David Cook was brought in for questioning, following an anonymous tip, and confessed to killing the couple.  Cook stated that he, Derek Harrison, and Melvin Nairn went to the Burger King to commit a robbery on 08/15/84.  When Rolando Betancourt exited the back of the restaurant to empty the garbage, Cook grabbed Harrison’s gun and followed Rolando back inside.  The door slammed behind them, preventing Harrison and Nairn from entering.  Cook demanded Rolando get him the money from the safe, but Rolando answered that he did not speak English.  When Cook insisted that Rolando get the money from the safe, Rolando hit him in the arm with a metal rod, and then Cook shot him once in the chest.  When Cook was exiting the restaurant, Onelia Betancourt grabbed him around the legs and began screaming.  Cook shot her and fled with Harrison and Nairn. 

 

Codefendant Information:

 

Derek Harrison was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment for his role in the murders and robbery

 

Melvin Nairn received a 24-year sentence for his part in the murders and robbery.

 

Trial Summary: 

 

08/25/84          Defendant arrested.

09/13/84          Defendant indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:            First-Degree Murder (Rolando Betancourt)

                                    Count II:           First-Degree Murder (Onelia Betancourt)

                                    Count III:         Armed Burglary

                                    Count IV:         Attempted Armed Robbery

                                    Count V:          Attempted Armed Robbery

                                    Count VI:         Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

08/09/85          The jury found the defendant guilty on all counts.

08/13/85          Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 7 to 5 majority, voted for the

death penalty for the murder of Rolando Betancourt.  The jury, by an 8 to 4 majority, voted for death for the murder of Onelia Betancourt.

10/25/85          Defendant sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:            First-Degree Murder (Rolando Betancourt) – Life

                                    Count II:           First-Degree Murder (Onelia Betancourt) – Death

                                    Count III:         Armed Burglary – Life

                                    Count IV:         Attempted Armed Robbery – 15 years

                                    Count V:          Attempted Armed Robbery – 15 years 

Count VI:        Unlawful Possession of a Firearm –

Suspended Sentence

04/06/89          Upon Direct Appeal, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the murder

convictions and sentence of life imposed for the murder of Rolando Betancourt.  They reversed and remanded Cook’s death sentence for the murder of Onelia Betancourt, and ordered a resentencing without the consideration of two aggravating factors that were previously applied.

02/05/90          Defendant resentenced as follows:

                                    Count II:  First-Degree Murder (Onelia Betancourt) – Death

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC #68,044

542 So. 2d 964

 

12/16/85          Appeal filed.

04/06/89          FSC affirmed the murder convictions and sentence of life imposed for the

murder of Rolando Betancourt.  They reversed and remanded Cook’s death sentence for the murder of Onelia Betancourt, and ordered a resentencing without the consideration of two aggravating factors that were previously applied.

06/05/89          Rehearing denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal (Resentencing)

FSC #75,725

581 So. 2d 141

 

03/14/90          Appeal filed.

05/30/91          FSC affirmed the death sentence.

07/15/91          Rehearing denied.

08/14/91          Mandate issued.

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC #91-5378

502 U.S. 890

 

08/05/91          Petition filed.

10/07/91          Petition denied.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC #84-19874

 

01/08/93          Motion filed.

12/04/96          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC #SC94-134

792 So. 2d 1197

 

10/15/98          Appeal filed.

06/28/01          FSC remanded the appeal for an evidentiary hearing on Cook’s claim of

ineffective counsel during the penalty phase.

09/24/01          Mandate issued.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 (On Remand From FSC)

CC #84-19874

 

06/28/01          FSC remanded the appeal for an evidentiary hearing on Cook’s claim of ineffective counsel during the penalty phase.

12/15/03          Evidentiary Hearing held.

09/23/04          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 04-2066

952 So.2d 1188

 

10/26/04          Appeal filed.

02/14/07          FSC reversed the denial of the motion and remanded for a new penalty phase.

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 05-1313

954 So.2d 27

 

07/26/05          Petition filed.

03/14/07          FSC denied petition.

 

United States District Court, Middle District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 06-1911

 

12/18/06          Petition filed.

06/12/07          Petition dismissed.

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence

 

Cook’s death sentence for the murder of Onelia Betancourt was reversed for the improper imposition of aggravating factors.  Cook’s initial Direct Appeal took approximately four years to resolve, as did his Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850).  After approximately three years, Cook’s 3.850 Appeal was remanded to the State Circuit Court for an evidentiary hearing on his claim of ineffective counsel.

 

Case Information:

 

On 12/16/85, Cook filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  He argued that the trial court erred in refusing to excuse two potential jurors for cause because they had difficulty understanding English, in the application of aggravating and mitigating evidence, and in the jury instruction during the penalty phase.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of life imprisonment for the murder of Rolando Betancourt on 04/06/89.  They reversed and remanded Cook’s death sentence for the murder of Onelia Betancourt and ordered him to be resentenced without two previously applied aggravating factors. 

 

Cook was resentenced to death by the trial judge on 02/05/90.  He filed a Direct Appeal of that decision in the Florida Supreme Court on 03/14/90.  In that appeal, he argued that his sentence was disproportional to those of his co-defendants and that the trial judge failed to adequately consider the mitigating evidence in his sentencing order.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the sentence on 05/30/91.

 

Cook next filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/07/91.

 

Next, Cook filed a Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850) in the State Circuit Court that was denied on 12/04/96. 

 

Cook filed an appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/15/98.  On 06/28/01, the Supreme Court reversed the denial by the Circuit Court and remanded the case for an evidentiary hearing to examine Cook’s claim of ineffective counsel during the penalty phase.

 

An evidentiary hearing was held in the State Circuit Court on 12/15/03, and the motion was denied on 09/23/04.  

 

Cook filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 10/26/04, and on 02/14/07, the FSC reversed the denial of the motion and remanded for a new penalty phase.    

 

Cook filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/26/05 that was denied on 03/14/07. 

 

Cook filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the United States District Court on 12/18/06 that was denied on 06/12/07.

 

A new penalty phase is scheduled to be held in the state circuit court on 06/24/09.

  

Institutional Adjustment:

 

 

DATE              DAYS              VIOLATION                                       LOCATION       

-------              ----                  ----------------------------                  ------------------- 

04/08/86          15                    SPOKEN THREATS                          FSP

11/25/86          15                    DISOBEYING ORDER                      FSP

12/23/86          15                    DISORDERLY CONDUCT                FSP

10/18/89          15                    INCITING RIOTS                              NEW RIVER

01/30/91          30                    DISORDERLY CONDUCT                FSP

04/29/91          0                      DISOBEYING ORDER                      FSP

04/30/91          0                      DISOBEYING ORDER                      FSP

01/29/93          0                      DISOBEYING ORDER                      UNION C. I.         

02/27/94          0                      DISORDERLY CONDUCT                UNION C. I.         

12/21/94          0                      REF. SUB. ABUSE TEST                   UNION C. I.         

01/23/95          30                    SPOKEN THREATS                          UNION C. I.         

09/10/95          0                      POSS OF CONTRABAND                UNION C. I.          

11/19/96          180                  UNAUTH USE OF DRUGS               UNION C.I.

03/30/98          0                      DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS                 UNION C. I.         

06/04/99          105                  UNAUTH USE OF DRUGS               UNION C. I.     

08/06/99          0                      POSS OF CONTRABAND                UNION C. I.     

09/26/00          0                      DEFACING STATE PROP.                UNION C. I.     

01/15/03          0                      DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS                 UNION C. I.     

06/11/03          30                    DISOBEYING ORDER                      UNION C. I.     

06/18/03          30                    POSS OF CONTRABAND                UNION C. I.     

07/18/03          30                    POSS OF CONTRABAND                UNION C. I.     

07/18/03          30                    DEFACING STATE PROP.                UNION C. I.     

07/27/05          30                    DISOBEYING ORDER                      UNION C. I.

                                                                  

________________________________________________________________________

 

01/25/01 – ew

01/30/02 – approved – ws

04/24/09 – updated – klh