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.

 

HANNON, Patrick (W/M)

DC#     500914

DOB:   10/24/64

 

Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County Case # 91-1927

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable M. William Graybill

Attorney, Trial: Joe Episcopo – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Robert F. Moeller – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Suzanne Keffer & Leor Veleanu – CCRC-S

 

Date of Offense:           01/10/91

Date of Sentence:         08/05/91

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

In December of 1990, Brandon Snider, while visiting his relatives in Indiana, vandalized the bedroom of a former girlfriend, Toni Acker.

 

On 01/10/91, Patrick Hannon, Ron Richardson, and Jim Acker (Toni Acker’s brother) went to the apartment of Brandon Snider and roommate Robert Carter.  When Snider came to the door, Jim Acker stabbed Snider multiple times and Hannon cut Snider’s throat.  When Robert Carter came downstairs to investigate, he witnessed the murder and fled upstairs, hiding under his bed.  Hannon and Acker followed Carter upstairs and Hannon shot Carter six times.

 

 

Codefendant Information:

 

Ron Richardson pled guilty to being an accessory after the fact and testified against Hannon.

 

Jim Acker, in a separate proceeding, was convicted and sentenced to two life sentences.

 

 


Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

Hannon had an extensive criminal record at the time of the offense.  The following is Hannon’s prior prison history and community supervision history, covering periods of incarceration with the Florida Department of Corrections since January 1983.

 

 

Prior Prison History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration with the Florida Dept.of Corrections since January of 1983)

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

04/13/1986

BURGUNOCCSTRUC/CV OR ATT.

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8605425

2Y 6M 0D

04/13/1986

GRAND THEFT,$300 LESS &20,000

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8605425

2Y 6M 0D

06/25/1986

COCAINE-SALE OR PURCHASE

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8608929

2Y 6M 0D

06/25/1986

COCAINE-POSSESS

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8608929

2Y 6M 0D

06/25/1986

UTTER FORGED BILLS 2ND CONV

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8608929

2Y 6M 0D

05/12/1988

GRAND THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8807114

2Y 6M 0D

05/12/1988

CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM

07/27/1988

HILLSBOROUGH

8807114

2Y 6M 0D

06/06/1986

BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY

07/21/1989

HILLSBOROUGH

8613974

1Y 6M 0D

11/13/1988

ESCAPE

09/14/1989

PINELLAS

8816096

1Y 8M 0D

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

03/27/91          Indicted on two counts of First-Degree Murder

02/18/91          Entered not guilty plea

07/23/91          Jury returned guilty verdicts

07/24/91          By a vote of 12-0, jury recommended death sentences

08/05/91          Sentenced to death on both counts of the indictment

 

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 78,678

638 So. 2d 39

 

09/27/91          Appeal filed

06/02/94          FSC affirmed conviction and sentence

09/08/94          Rehearing denied

10/10/94          Mandate issued


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

USSC# 94-6789

513 U.S. 1158

 

12/07/94          Petition filed

02/21/95          USSC denied Petition

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-1927

 

03/20/97          Motion filed

04/10/00          Motion amended

02/04/03          Circuit Court denied Motion

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 03-893

941 So. 2d 1109

 

05/09/03          Appeal filed

08/31/06          FSC affirmed the denial of the motion

10/27/06          Rehearing denied

11/13/06          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 04-1662

941 So. 2d 1109

 

08/23/04          Petition filed

08/31/06          FSC denied the petition

11/13/06          Mandate issued

 

United States District Court, Middle- Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 06-CV-02200

 

11/24/06          Petition filed

12/02/06          Amended Petition filed

10/23/07          Petition denied

 

United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit − Habeas Appeal

USCA# 07-15991

 

01/08/08          Appeal filed

05/27/09          Appeal denied 

 

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

USSC# 09-6209

 

08/11/09          Petition filed

11/02/09          Petition denied

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 91-1927

 

11/29/10           Motion filed

03/23/11          Motion denied

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

 

The Direct Appeal process took three years to complete (09/27/91 – 10/10/94) and the 3.850 motion was pending from 03/20/97 – 02/04/03.

 

 

Case Information:

 

On 09/27/91, Hannon filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, citing the following errors:  striking two jurors for cause; admitting statements by a prosecution witness; admitting victim forensic evidence and testimony; improper jury instruction regarding the heinous, atrocious, and cruel (HAC) aggravating circumstance; insufficient evidence to support a finding of the HAC aggravating circumstance; the HAC factor is vague, arbitrarily applied, and does not narrow the class of persons eligible for the death penalty; insufficient evidence to support a finding of the avoiding or preventing a lawful arrest aggravating circumstance; disproportionate sentencing compared to accomplices; evidence does not support the prior violent felony aggravating circumstance; and the sentencing order was insufficient.  The FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence on 06/02/94.

 

On 12/07/94, Hannon filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied on 02/21/95.

 

On 03/20/97, Hannon filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court and amended on 04/10/00.  The Circuit Court denied the Motion on 02/04/03.

 

On 05/09/03, Hannon filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, raising the following issues: ineffective assistance of counsel at the guilt and penalty phases and summary denial of claims by the Circuit Court.  On 08/31/06, the FSC affirmed the denial of the motion.

 

On 08/23/04, Hannon filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court, raising the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel.  On 08/31/06, the FSC denied the petition.

 

Hannon filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District on 11/24/06 and amended the petition on 12/20/06.

 

On 11/24/06, Hannon filed a Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District, Middle Court, and amended this petition on 12/02/06.  This motion was denied on 10/23/07.

 

Hannon filed a Habeas Appeal in the United States Court of Appeals on 01/08/08. This appeal was denied on 05/27/09.

 

Hannon filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 08/11/09. This petition was denied on 11/02/09.

 

On 11/29/10, Hannon filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court.  This motion was denied on 03/23/11.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:     09/06/01          JFL

Approved:        10/22/01          WS

Updated:          04/27/11          CAR