The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly

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 upon for statistical or legal purposes.

JOHNSON, Ronnie (B/M)

AKA Boo, Ronnie Boo

DC# 440701

DOB: 02/23/61

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County Case #89-14998

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Gerald D. Hubbart

Trial Attorney: Raymond Badini & Joy Carr – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: John H. Lipinski – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Charles G. White – Registry

Date of Offense: 03/11/89

Date of Sentence: 12/13/91

Circumstances of Offense:

On 03/11/89, Tequila Larkins, the owner of Sparkle City Laundromat in Perrine, Florida, locked the front door of the establishment around 9 p.m. Customers, Jerry Briggs, Valerie Briggs, Eric Bettle, and Walter Hills remained in the laundromat, along with Ms. Larkins.

A short time later, Ronnie Johnson knocked on the front door and asked for change. When the door was opened by Ms. Larkins, Johnson barged in, began arguing with Ms. Larkins, and then began physically fighting with her. After several blows to Ms. Larkins’ face, Johnson pulled a gun and shot her.

Johnson confessed to the crime on 04/02/89, but later moved to suppress the confession.

Trial Summary:

04/24/89 Entered a plea of not guilty.

11/07/91 Jury returned guilty verdict for both counts.

11/13/91 Jury recommended death penalty by a 9-3 vote.

12/13/91 The defendant was sentenced as follows:

Count I: First-Degree Murder – Death

Count II: Armed Burglary – Life

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 79,383

696 So. 2d 326

02/19/92 Appeal filed

05/08/97 FSC affirmed conviction and sentence

07/01/97 Motion for rehearing denied

07/31/97 Mandate issued

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

USSC# 97-6960

522 U.S. 1095

09/29/97 Petition filed

01/26/98 USSC denied Petition

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 89-14998

03/01/01 Motion filed

01/18/02 Motion amended

01/17/03 Circuit Court denied Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 03-382

903 So. 2d 888

03/03/03 Appeal filed

03/31/05 FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion

05/26/05 Rehearing denied

06/13/05 Mandate issued

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 03-1680

903 So. 2d 888

09/17/03 Petition filed

03/31/05 FSC denied Petition

05/26/05 Rehearing denied

06/13/05 Mandate issued

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

USDC# 05-23292

480 F. Supp. 2d 1314

12/22/05 Petition filed

03/29/07 USDC denied petition.

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

USCA# 07-12155

513 F. 3d 1328

04/30/07 Appeal filed.

10/17/08 Appeal denied

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

The Direct Appeal was pending for five years.

Case Information:

On 02/19/92, Ronnie Johnson filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, raising six issues: the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress a confession, striking a juror for cause, denying a motion for mistrial based upon a Richardson violation, denying a motion for mistrial based upon unauthorized note-taking by the jury, prosecution’s closing argument was improper, finding that Johnson created a great risk of death to many persons. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Johnson’s conviction and sentence of death on 05/08/97.

On 09/29/97, Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 01/26/98.

Johnson filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court on 03/01/01, and amended it on 01/18/02. The five issues raised in the Motion are: ineffective assistance of counsel, conviction for felony-murder was invalid, denied access to state agency records, sentencing jury was misled, and the jury was prejudiced by the court’s instructions regarding non-statutory aggravating circumstances. The court denied the Motion on 01/17/03.

Johnson filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 03/03/03, citing the following errors: ineffective assistance of counsel, improper substitution of trial counsel, denying a motion to suppress, withholding of evidence by the State, and failing to give proper jury instructions. On 03/31/05, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 09/17/03, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. On 03/31/05, the FSC denied the Petition.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Southern District, on 12/22/05 that was denied on 03/29/07. A motion for rehearing was filed on 04/20/07, and denied on 05/01/07.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit on 04/30/07 that was denied on 10/17/08.

JOHNSON, Ronnie (B/M)

AKA Boo, Ronnie Boo

DC# 440701

DOB: 02/23/61

Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County Case #89-12383-B

Date of Offense: 03/20/89

Date of Sentence: 07/16/92

Circumstances of Offense:

On the evening of 3/20/89, Lee Lawrence, Bernard Williams, and Josias Dukes were outside Lee’s Grocery in Dade County, Florida. Bobbie Ingraham, a codefendant of Ronnie Johnson, opened fire with an Uzi semiautomatic firearm at Bernard Williams, who was hit in the back and fell to the ground. Ingraham then began firing at Lawrence, who also fell to the ground. At this point, Ronnie Johnson emerged from Lee’s Grocery and began firing his revolver at Lawrence, who was killed in the incident.

In addition, Josias Dukes was also the target of gunfire, although he was not injured. Johnson and Ingraham also fired stray gunshots in various directions.

Trial Summary:

02/14/92 Motion to sever from two codefendants granted.

04/12/92 Indicted as follows:

Count I First-Degree Murder

Count II Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count III Attempted First-Degree Murder

04/24/92 Entered a plea of not guilty.

05/20/92 Jury returned guilty verdict on all three counts, but third count reduced to

Aggravated Assault.

05/21/92 Jury recommended death penalty by a vote of 7-5.

07/16/92 Sentenced as follows:

Count I First-Degree Murder – Death

Count II Attempted First-Degree Murder – Life

Count III Attempted First-Degree Murder – Five years

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 80,278

696 So. 2d 317

08/05/92 Appeal filed

05/08/97 FSC affirmed conviction and sentence

06/26/97 Motion for rehearing denied

07/28/97 Mandate issued

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

USSC# 97-6932

522 U.S. 1120

11/28/97 Petition filed

02/23/98 USSC denied Petition

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 89-12383-B

03/01/01 Motion filed

06/27/01 Motion amended

01/17/03 Circuit Court denied Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 03-362

903 So. 2d 888

02/27/03 Appeal filed

03/31/05 FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion

05/26/05 Rehearing denied

06/13/05 Mandate issued

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 03-1752

903 So. 2d 888

10/02/03 Petition filed

03/31/05 FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion

05/26/05 Rehearing denied

06/13/05 Mandate issued

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

USSC# 05-6776

126 S. Ct. 802

08/24/05 Petition filed

12/05/05 USSC denied Petition

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

USDC# 05-23293

480 F. Supp. 2d 1309

12/22/05 Petition filed

03/29/07 USDC denied petition.

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

USCA# 07-12115

513 F. 3d 1328

04/30/07 Appeal filed.

10/17/08 Appeal denied.

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

USSC# 07-11146

129 S. Ct 348

05/20/08 Petition filed.

10/06/08 Petition denied.

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

The Direct Appeal was pending for five years.

Case Information:

Johnson filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 08/05/92, claiming: the trial court erred in denying the motion to suppress a confession, improprieties in jury discussions (jurors discussing case outside of the trial), finding that Johnson caused a great risk of death to many persons, and discrepancy in sentence of accomplices. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence of death on 05/08/97.

On 11/28/97, Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 02/23/98.

Johnson filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court on 03/01/01 and amended the motion on 06/27/01. The five issues raised by Johnson in the motion are: ineffective assistance of counsel, denied access to state agency records, sentencing jury misled, discrepancy in sentence of accomplices, and jury prejudiced by court’s instructions regarding non-statutory aggravating circumstances. On 01/17/03, the Circuit Court denied the Motion.

Johnson filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 02/27/03, citing the following errors: ineffective assistance of counsel, improper substitution of trial counsel, denying a motion to suppress, withholding of evidence by the State, and failing to give proper jury instructions. On 03/31/05, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 10/02/03, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel. On 03/31/05, the FSC denied the Petition.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 08/24/05 that was denied on 12/05/05.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Southern District, on 12/22/05 that was denied on 03/29/07.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit on 04/30/07 that was denied on 10/17/08.

Johnson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 05/20/08 that was denied on 10/06/08.

Institutional Adjustment:

THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES REFLECT DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AGAINST THE INMATE FOR VIOLATION OF THE RULE CITED AND INDICATE THE GAIN TIME DAYS LOST.

DATE DAYS VIOLATION LOCATION

05/03/94 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C. I.

05/22/95 0 FAILURE TO COMPLY UNION C. I.

05/27/96 0 DISORDERLY CONDUCT UNION C.I.-MED.FAC.

01/24/97 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C. I.

03/26/97 180 REF. SUB. ABUSE TEST UNION C. I.

01/23/98 0 UNARMED ASSAULT UNION C. I.

01/07/00 0 POSS OF CONTRABAND UNION C. I.

08/05/04 0 DISORDERLY CONDUCT UNION C. I.

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date: 05/14/01 JFL

Approved: 06/05/01 WS

Updated: 05/24/10 CAR