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.

 

SWEET, William (B/M)

DC #    100063

DOB:   10/03/67   

 

Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County, Case #91-2899

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Frederick B. Tygart 

Attorney, Criminal Trial: Charles Adams, Esq. & Lindsey Moore, Esq.

Attorney, Direct Appeal: David A. Davis – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Frank Tassone, Jr. – Registry

 

Date of Offense: 06/27/90

Date of Sentence: 08/30/91

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

William Sweet was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 13-year-old Felicia Bryant.

 

In June 1990, Marcine Cofer was robbed and physically accosted in her apartment by three men.  Cofer was able to identify two of her attackers by name and on 06/26/90, she was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs.  That evening Detective Robinson dropped Cofer off back at her  apartment.  William Sweet was watching from afar as Cofer left the detective. 

 

Sweet had previously implicated himself to a friend as the third perpetrator in the attack and robbery of Cofer.

 

That same evening, Cofer asked her neighbor, Mattie Bryant, if Bryant’s two daughters, Felicia and Sharon Bryant, could stay with her in her apartment.  Mattie agreed and the girls went over to Cofer’s place around 8:00 p.m.

 

At 1:00 a.m., Sharon reported hearing a loud kick on the apartment door.  She woke Cofer and informed her of the noise.  After checking the premises, Cofer told Sharon not to worry as it appeared that whoever had been there had left.  Cofer then went back to bed.  Sharon then saw someone pulling on the screen in the living room and again alerted Cofer.  Cofer then looked out the peephole of her front door and noticed Sweet standing outside the apartment.

 

Cofer told Felicia to bang on the wall of the bathroom, alerting her mother, Mattie Bryant, who was next door.  Mattie rushed over a few minutes later.  The four women lined up behind the door, with Cofer in the back of the line.  As they attempted to leave, William Sweet forced his way inside the apartment, trying to cover his face with a pair of pants.  Sweet opened fire on Cofer, and then proceeded to shoot the other three women.  Six shots were fired.  Cofer was shot twice, as was Felicia.  Felicia died as a result of the gunshot wounds to her abdomen and hand.  

 

William Sweet was arrested on 06/28/90.

 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

 

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

10/14/1985

BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY

11/12/1985

DUVAL

8511252

1Y 3M 0D

04/02/1986

ESCAPE

05/15/1986

DUVAL

8603280

1Y 0M 1D

04/19/1988

POSS.FIREARM BY FELON

08/22/1988

DUVAL

8804845

1Y 1M 0D

08/23/1988

RIOT-INCITING

02/24/1989

DUVAL

8810728

4Y 0M 0D

08/23/1988

BATTERY LAW ENFORCEMENT

02/24/1989

DUVAL

8810728

4Y 0M 0D

04/18/1990

2ND DEG.MURD,DANGEROUS ACT

12/02/1994

DUVAL

9404813

35Y 0M 0D

 

 

NOTE: William Sweet was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder (CC # 94-4813) after he was sentenced to death for the current offense (CC # 91-2899).

 

Trial Summary:

 

06/28/90          Defendant arrested.

08/02/90          Defendant indicted on the following:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder

                                    Count II:         Attempted First-Degree Murder

                                    Count III:        Attempted First-Degree Murder

                                    Count IV:        Attempted First-Degree Murder

                                    Count V:         Armed Burglary

05/24/91          The jury found the defendant guilty of all counts charged in the indictment.

06/03/91          Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 10 to 2 majority, voted for the death penalty.

08/30/91          The defendant was sentenced as followed:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder - Death

                                    Count II:         Attempted First-Degree Murder – Life

                                    Count III:        Attempted First-Degree Murder – Life

                                    Count IV:        Attempted First-Degree Murder – Life

                                    Count V:         Armed Burglary – Life


Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 78,629

624 So. 2d 1138

 

09/19/91          Appeal filed.

08/05/93          FSC affirmed the convictions and sentence of death.

10/14/93          Rehearing denied.

11/15/93          Mandate issued.

 

U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 93-7051

510 U.S. 1170

 

12/09/93          Petition filed.

02/28/94          Petition denied.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-2899

 

08/01/95          Motion filed.

06/30/97          Amended motion filed.

03/30/00          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 00-1509

810 So. 2d 854

 

07/17/00          Appeal filed.

01/31/02          FSC affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion.

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 01-2867

810 So. 2d 854

 

12/31/01          Petition filed.

06/13/02          Petition denied.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-2899

 

05/12/03          Motion filed.

11/18/03          Amended motion filed.

02/11/04          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 04-514

900 So. 2d 555

 

03/10/04          Appeal filed.

12/20/04          FSC affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion.

03/24/05          Rehearing denied.

04/11/05          Mandate issued.

 

U.S. District Court, Middle District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 03-844

 

01/18/05          Petition filed.

08/08/05          USDC dismissed petition with prejudice.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-2899

 

03/08/05          Motion filed.

07/14/05          Motion denied.

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Appeal

FSC# 05-1374

934 So. 2d 450

 

07/27/05          Appeal filed.

06/16/06          FSC affirmed the denial of the motion.

 

U.S. Court of Appeal, 11th Circuit – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal

USCA# 05-15199

467 F. 3d 1311

 

09/15/05          Appeal filed.

10/23/06          USCA affirmed dismissal of petition.

 

U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 06-9755

127 S. Ct. 2139

 

02/26/07          Petition filed.

04/30/07          USSC denied petition.

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-2899

 

04/30/08          Motion filed.

08/10/09          Motion denied.

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition of the Sentence:

 

The greatest source of delay in Sweet’s case has been the lengthy disposition of his 3.850 Motion.  The 3.850 Motion was pending in the State Circuit Court for over 4 ½ years.

 

Case Information:

 

On 09/19/91, Sweet filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  In that appeal, he argued that the trial court erred in failing to adequately inquire into his desire to represent himself.  Sweet also contended that the court erred in admitting evidence that Cofer had previously been robbed and that Sweet was involved.  Sweet also argued the consideration and application of aggravating factors.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Sweet’s convictions and sentence of death on 08/05/93.

 

Sweet then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 02/28/94.

 

Next, Sweet filed a Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850) in the State Circuit Court.  That motion was subsequently denied, after which Sweet filed an appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  The court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion on 01/31/02.

 

On 12/31/01, Sweet filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court, which was denied on 06/13/02.

 

On 05/12/03, Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court.  An amended motion was filed on 11/18/03.  The motion was denied on 02/11/04.

 

Sweet filed a 3.850 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 03/10/04.  On 12/20/04, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion. 

 

On 01/18/05, Sweet filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District that was dismissed with prejudice on 08/08/05. 

 

Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court on 03/08/05.  The motion was denied on 07/14/05.

 

On 07/27/05, Sweet filed a 3.851 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.  On 06/16/06, the FSC affirmed the denial of the motion.

 

Sweet filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeal, 11th Circuit, and on 10/23/06, the USCA affirmed the dismissal of the petition.

 

On 02/26/07, Sweet filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied on 04/30/07.

 

On 04/30/08, Sweet filed a 3.851 Motion in the Circuit Court.  This motion was denied on 08/10/09.

Institutional Adjustment: 

 

 

DATE             DAYS             VIOLATION                                     LOCATION    

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

05/18/95          0                      FAILURE TO COMPLY                  UNION C. I.      

11/22/95          0                      DISOBEYING ORDER                    UNION C. I.      

11/30/98          0                      POSS OF ESCAPE PARA.               UNION C. I.      

04/18/00          0                      UNAUTH USE OF DRUGS             UNION C. I.      

11/06/01          180                  REF. SUB. ABUSE TEST                 UNION C. I.      

01/30/04          180                  REF. SUB. ABUSE TEST                 UNION C. I.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

Reported         06/04/02          EW

Approved        07/23/03          WS

Updated          08/31/09          EMJ