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. 

 

MARSHALL, Matthew (B/M)

DC#    648254

DOB:  07/23/64

 

Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Martin County Case# 89-174 CF

Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable Dwight L. Geiger

Attorney, Trial:  Cliff Barnes – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal:  Louis G. Carres – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Melissa M. Donoho – CCRC-S

 

Date of Offense:  11/01/88

Date of Sentence:  12/12/89

 

Circumstances of the Offense:

 

On 12/12/89, Matthew Marshall was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

 

Marshall and Jeffrey Henry were both incarcerated at the Martin Correction Institute on 11/01/88.  At the time, Marshall was serving prison time for previous offenses.  On the day of the murder, witnesses heard moans and screaming emanating from Henry’s cell.  Marshall was seen exiting from the cell with blood on his chest and arms.  Minutes later, witnesses saw Marshall re-entering Henry’s cell and heard similar noises emanating from his cell once again.  After a moment of silence, witnesses saw Marshall exiting from Henry’s cell, this time covered in blood.

 

Henry was found dead, lying face-down in his cell with his sweat pants pulled down to his ankles and his hands tied behind his back.  Henry’s cause of death was severe blows to the back of the head.

 

During his indictment, Marshall stated that Henry was known as the “muscle man” for inmates who operated football game-pools.  Marshall won sums of money and sought to collect his winnings from the other inmates.  The inmates instructed Marshall to obtain his winnings from Henry.  When Marshall met Henry at his cell, a fight broke out between the two men when Henry refused to pay.  According to Marshall, Henry attacked first and he killed Henry in self-defense.

 

Additional Information:

 

Marshall was convicted of the following offenses and was incarcerated at the Martin Correction Institute at the time of Henry’s murder:

 

 

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

 

 

08/10/1984

ESCAPE

03/14/1985

MIAMI-DADE

8418638

7Y 0M 0D

 

 

12/02/1983

KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY

05/07/1986

MIAMI-DADE

8323746

13Y 0M 0D

 

 

12/02/1983

SEX BAT/INJURY NOT LIKELY

05/07/1986

MIAMI-DADE

8323746

13Y 0M 0D

 

 

07/20/1984

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

05/07/1986

MIAMI-DADE

8416823

13Y 0M 0D

 

 

06/29/1984

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

05/07/1986

MIAMI-DADE

8423078

13Y 0M 0D

 

 

 

 Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

 

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Community Supervision Length

07/28/1983

GRAND THEFT,$300 LESS &20,000

09/26/1983

BROWARD

8308072

1Y 0M 0D

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

02/16/89          Indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder (Jeffrey Henry)

12/08/89          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

12/11/89          Jury recommended the life sentence by a vote of 12-0

12/12/89          Trial judge rejected jury’s recommendation and imposed death sentence

12/12/89          Sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder – Death

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 75, 406

604 So. 2d 799 (Fla. 1992)

 

01/30/90          Appeal filed

07/16/92          FSC affirmed conviction and death sentence

07/30/92          Motion for a rehearing filed

09/28/92          Rehearing denied

10/29/92          Mandate issued

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 92-7602

508 U.S. 915

 

02/11/93          Petition filed

05/17/93          Petition denied

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 89-174 CF

 

01/19/95          Motion filed

01/29/99          Amended Motion filed

04/18/00          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 00-1186

854 So.2d 1235 (Fla. 2003)

 

06/20/00          Appeal filed

06/12/03          FSC remanded for evidentiary hearing

06/23/03          Motion for a rehearing filed

09/08/03          Rehearing denied

10/08/03          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 02-420

911 So. 2d 1129

 

02/22/02          Petition filed

05/26/05          Petition denied

09/15/05          Rehearing denied


State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion (On Remand from FSC)

CC# 89-174 CF

 

10/08/03          Case remanded from the Florida Supreme Court for an evidentiary hearing

09/28/05          Issue of juror misconduct denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 05-2379

 

12/12/05          Appeal filed

12/06/07          FSC affirms trail court’s denial of postconviction relief.

12/20/07          Motion for Rehearing filed.

02/29/08          Rehearing denied.

03/17/08          Mandate issued.

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 05-9181

126 S. Ct. 2059

 

02/09/06          Petition filed

05/15/06          Petition denied

 

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

USDC# 09-14065

 

02/27/09          Petition filed

09/21/09          Petition denied

 

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

USCA# 09-15419

610 F.3d 576

 

10/20/09          Appeal filed

06/28/10          USCA affirmed the denial of the Habeas Petition

 

State Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC# 89-174

 

11/29/10          Motion filed

02/21/11          Motion denied

 

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 10-8557

 

01/18/11            Petition filed

03/28/11            Petition denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Appeal

FSC# 11-616

(Pending)

 

03/29/11            Appeal filed

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

 

It took over five years for the Circuit Court to deny Marshall’s 3.850 Motion.  When Marshall appealed the Circuit Court’s denial of the 3.850 Motion to the Florida Supreme Court, it took three years for the Court to render a decision.

 

On 10/08/03, the Florida Supreme Court remanded Marshall’s 3.850 Motion back to the Circuit Court for an evidentiary hearing on the claim of juror misconduct.  It took nearly two years for the Circuit Court to render a decision, which denied the issue of juror misconduct, on 09/28/05.

 

Case Information:

 

Marshall filed a Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 01/30/90.  There were numerous issues raised.  First, Marshall claimed that the trial court erred in permitting an inmate to testify identified only by number, not by name.  Second, he argued that the trial court erred in instructing the jury on manslaughter.  Third, Marshall claimed that the trial court erred in instructing the jury that self-defense was unavailable to third-degree murder where the underlying felonies were respectively burglary and aggravated battery.  Fourth, he argued that the trial court erred in denying Marshall an instruction on aggravated assault in connection with self-defense instruction.  Fifth, Marshall claimed the trial court erred in not declaring a mistrial after the prosecution conceded that it had failed to link evidence to the alleged motive.  Sixth, he argued that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of gambling slips found in Marshall’s cell six months after the murder.  Seventh, Marshall claimed that the trial court erred in refusing to poll prospective juror to determine whether they had read an article about the murder appearing in the Palm Beach Post.  Eight, Marshall alleged that the trial court erred in finding the murder to be heinous, atrocious, or cruel.  Finally, he argued that the trial court abused its discretion in sentencing Marshall to death where the jury had made a recommendation of life imprisonment.  The Court affirmed Marshall’s conviction and death sentence on 07/16/90.

 

Marshall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 02/11/93, which was denied on 05/17/93.

 

On 01/19/95, Marshall filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court.  The Motion was amended on 01/29/99.  The Motion was pending for five years until it was denied on 04/18/00.

 

Marshall filed 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 06/22/00.  On 06/12/03, the Court remanded for an evidentiary hearing on claims of juror misconduct.  On 06/23/03, Marshall filed a motion for a rehearing, which was denied on 09/08/03.  The mandate was issued on 10/08/03.

 

On 02/22/02, Marshall filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court, which was denied on 05/26/05.  On 06/10/05, Marshall filed a motion for a rehearing, which was denied on 09/15/05.

 

On 10/08/03, the Florida Supreme Court remanded Marshall’s 3.850 Motion back to the Circuit Court for an evidentiary hearing on the claim of juror misconduct.  On 09/28/05, the Circuit Court denied the issue of juror misconduct.

 

On 12/12/05, Marshall filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.  The FSC affirmed the trial court’s denial of postconviction relief in an opinion ordered and entered on 12/06/07.  On 12/20/07, Marshall filed a Motion for Rehearing which was denied 02/29/08.  The Florida Supreme Court issued a mandate in this case on 03/17/08.

 

On 02/09/06, Marshall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 05/15/06.

 

On 02/27/09, Marshall filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court, Southern District.  This petition was denied on 09/21/09.

 

Marshall filed a Habeas Corpus Appeal in the United States Court of Appeals on 10/20/09. The USCA affirmed the denial of the Habeas Petition on 06/28/10.

 

On 11/29/10, Marshall filed a 3.851 Motion in the State Circuit Court. This motion was denied on 02/21/11.

 

Marshall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court on 01/18/11. This petition was denied on 03/28/11.

 

Marshall filed a 3.851 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 03/29/11. This case is currently pending.

 

Institutional Adjustment:

 

DATE

DAYS

VIOLATION

LOCATION

06/26/86

30

FIGHTING

MARION C.I.

08/04/86

30

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

MARION C.I.

10/11/86

90

UNARMED ASSAULT

MARION C.I.

10/12/86

180

UNARMED ASSAULT

MARION C.I.

03/13/87

30

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

MARTIN C.I.

05/11/89

15

POSS OF CONTRABAND

MARTIN C.I.

07/21/89

30

DISOBEYING ORDER

MARTIN C.I.

01/12/94

0

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

UNION C.I.

02/27/97

30

FIGHTING

UNION C.I.

________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:   12/07/04          NRC

Approved:       01/10/04          JFL

Updated:         04/28/11          EMJ