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. 

 

HALL, Freddie Lee (B/M)

DC#    022762

DOB:   07/21/45

 

Fifth Judicial Circuit, Hernando County Case # 78-52

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable John W. Booth

Trial Attorney: Morton D. Aulls & H.D. Robuck, Jr. – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal:

                        (1981): Morton D. Aulls & H.D. Robuck, Jr. – Private

                        (1993): Larry B.Henderson – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Carol Rodriguez & Eric Pinkard – CCRC-M

 

Date of Offense:           02/21/78

Date of Sentence:         06/27/78

Date of Resentence:      02/21/91

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

On 02/21/78, Karol Hurst, who was twenty-one years old and seven months pregnant at the time, was leaving the Pantry Pride grocery store in Leesburg, Florida at approximately 3:00 p.m., when Hall approached her. 

 

Hall and an accomplice, Ruffin, were looking for a car to use in a robbery, when Hall approached Hurst and forced her into their car.  Hall drove the car away, with Hurst and Ruffin following in another car.  Hurst was driven to a wooded area, beaten, raped, and shot, then the body was dragged further into the woods. 

 

On the evening of 02/21/78, Hall and Ruffin walked into a convenience store in Hernando County, Florida.  The conduct of the pair aroused the suspicions of the store clerk, who called the sheriff substation located across the street from the store.  Deputy Lonnie Coburn responded to the call and met Hall and Ruffin in the store’s parking lot, where witnesses saw Deputy Coburn approach Hall and Ruffin.  Although conflicting evidence existed, at some point in the confrontation between Hall, Ruffin, and Deputy Coburn, Deputy Coburn was disarmed and shot and killed with his own gun.  Hall and Ruffin fled the scene.  The pair were spotted and pursued by another deputy, during which gunfire was exchanged between the pair and the deputy.  Eventually, Hall and Ruffin abandoned their car and were later apprehended.  Deputy Coburn’s gun was found in the abandoned car.  

 

Hall and Ruffin were both present and principals in the murder of Deputy Coburn and the assault and murder of Hurst.  Both Hall and Ruffin aided and abetted each other in the commission of the crimes. 

 

Trial Summary:

 

03/07/78          Indicted on one count of First-Degree Murder

06/08/78          Trial venue changed from Sumter County to Putnam County

06/23/78          Jury returned guilty verdict

06/26/78          Jury recommended death penalty by a majority vote

06/27/78          Sentenced to death

03/09/89          FSC vacated death sentence

02/21/91          Jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 8-4.  Resentenced to

death.

 

Codefendant Information:

 

Ruffin and Hall were tried separately murder of Hurst.  Ruffin was convicted and was originally sentenced to death; however, he was later resentenced to life imprisonment.  Ruffin and Hall were tried together for the murder of Deputy Coburn.  Ruffin was sentenced to life imprisonment. 

 

Additional Information:

 

Hall and Ruffin were indicted on 03/09/78 for the First-Degree Murder of Deputy Coburn (Hernando County Case# 78-39).  On 05/31/78, the sentencing jury recommended the death penalty for Hall by a majority vote, and on 06/01/78, he was sentenced to death.  Hall filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 06/20/78 (FSC Case# 54,423), alleging that the conviction must be overturned because the evidence of guilt was circumstantial, does not preclude all hypotheses of innocence,  and no evidence exists of premeditation.  On 07/16/81, the FSC vacated Hall’s conviction and sentence and remanded to the trial court with instructions to enter a judgment and sentence of Second-Degree Murder. 

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 54,561

403 So.2d 1321

 

07/06/78          Appeal filed

07/06/81          FSC affirmed conviction and sentence

09/18/81          Mandate issued

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 78-52

 

09/28/82          Motion filed

10/01/82          Circuit Court denied Motion

 

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

USDC# 82-195-Civ-Oc

565 F. Supp. 1222

 

09/30/82          Petition filed

05/18/83          USDC denied Petition

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal, Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, Stay of Execution

FSC# 62,696 & 62,697

420 So.2d 872

 

10/02/82          Appeal, Petition, and Stay filed

10/05/82          FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion and denied Petition and Stay

10/28/82          Mandate issued

 

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

USCA# 83-3563

733 F.2d 766

 

08/29/83          Appeal filed

05/16/84          Remanded to the USDC for an evidentiary hearing

 

U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari (filed by State)

USSC# 84-1234

471 U.S. 1107

 

01/29/85          Petition filed

05/13/85          USSC denied Petition

 

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

USSC# 84-6326

471 U.S. 1111

 

02/28/85          Petition filed

05/13/85          USSC denied Petition

 

U.S. District Court, Middle District – Habeas Evidentiary Hearing

USDC# 82-195-Civ-Oc-14

 

09/19/85          Evidentiary hearing held

01/08/86          USDC denied Petition

 

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

USCA# 86-3073

805 F.2d 945

 

02/03/86          Appeal filed

11/17/86          USCA affirmed denial of Petition

 

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

USSC# 87-5048

484 U.S. 905

 

07/06/87          Petition filed

10/13/87          USSC denied Petition

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 71,284

531 So.2d 76

 

10/14/87          Petition filed

05/12/88          FSC denied Petition

07/20/88          Rehearing denied

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 78-52

 

08/23/88          Motion filed

09/09/88          Circuit Court denied Motion

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal and Stay of Execution

FSC# 73,029

541 So.2d 1125

 

09/12/88          3.850 Appeal and Stay of Execution (set for 09/14/88) filed

03/09/89          FSC affirmed conviction, but vacated death sentence and remanded for

                        resentencing. Resentenced to death on 2/21/91

05/11/89          Rehearing denied and Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 77,278

577 So.2d 1326

 

01/23/91          Petition filed

02/26/91          FSC denied Petition

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal (after resentencing)

FSC# 77,563

614 So.2d 473

 

03/08/91          Appeal filed

01/14/93          FSC affirmed sentence of death

03/22/93          Rehearing denied

04/21/93          Mandate issued

 

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

USSC# 92-8753

510 U.S. 834

 

05/17/93          Petition filed

10/04/93          USSC denied Petition

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 78-52

 

02/14/97          Motion filed

10/30/97          Circuit Court denied motion

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 92,008

742 So.2d 225

 

12/15/97          3.850 Appeal filed

07/01/99          FSC affirmed denial of motion

08/03/99          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# SC00-1599

792 So.2d 447

 

08/02/00          Petition filed

05/10/01          FSC denied petition

08/15/01          Rehearing denied 

 

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

USDC# 5:00 CV 247

(Pending)

 

08/07/00          Petition filed

01/29/01          USDC administratively closed case pending state proceedings

07/26/01          USDC administratively reopened the case

03/20/03          USDC stayed proceedings pending resolution of 3.850

07/12/04          USDC administratively closed case pending state proceedings

 

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 78-52

 

08/10/01          Motion filed

05/13/08          Motion denied

 

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

USSC# 01-6939

534 U.S. 1136

 

10/12/01          Petition filed

02/19/02          USSC denied Petition

 

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion (Mental Retardation)

CC# 78-52

 

11/30/04          Motion filed

06/24/08          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Appeal

FSC# 08-1408

993 So. 2d 512

 

07/24/08          Appeal filed

09/15/08          Appeal denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Appeal

FSC# 10-1335

(Pending)

 

07/09/10          Appeal filed

 

Death Warrant Information:

 

09/09/82          Death warrant signed by Governor Graham

10/05/82          Stay of execution granted by USDC

08/11/88          Death warrant signed by Governor Martinez

09/14/88          Stay of execution granted by FSC

 

Clemency Hearing:

 

08/03/82          Clemency hearing held (denied)

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

 

The delay in the execution of the sentence in this case appears to be the result of the multiple appeals filed by Hall and the subsequent hearings that have resulted.  Hall has been sentenced twice for the crime and has had appeals at all levels of the court system, both state and federal.   One of the most obvious delays is in the extended period of time that elapsed between the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of Certiorari on 10/04/93 and the filing of a 3.850 motion on 02/14/97. 

 

Case Information:

 

Hall filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/06/78, challenging his conviction for First-Degree Murder and the resulting death sentence.  Hall raised a number of issues on appeal: the state failed to prove its case in the trial, inflammatory remarks by the prosecutor and commenting on Hall’s refusal to testify, and collateral crime evidence admitted in the trial.  The FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence of death on 07/16/81.

 

A death warrant for Hall was signed by the Governor on 09/09/82, and the execution was set for 10/06/82.

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on 09/28/82, which was denied on 10/01/82. 

 

A 3.850 Motion Appeal, Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus and a Stay of Execution were filed with the Florida Supreme Court on 10/02/82.  Hall cited the following issues in the appeal: the court improperly denied the motion to vacate, ineffective assistance of counsel, Hall was not present at some stages of the jury selection, and sentencing errors.  The FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion, denied the Petition for Habeas relief and the Stay of Execution on 10/05/82.

 

A Stay of Execution was issued by the U.S. District Court, Middle District, on 10/05/82 and expired on 06/03/83.

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District on 9/30/82 that was denied on 05/18/83.

 

On appeal, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part the decision of the USDC.  The case was remanded for an evidentiary hearing on 05/16/84. 

 

The State filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 01/29/85 that was denied on 05/13/85. 

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 02/28/85 that was denied on 05/13/85.

 

On 01/08/86, the USDC denied relief, and the USCA affirmed this decision on 11/17/86.

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 07/06/87 that was denied on 10/13/87.

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 10/14/87, arguing that the court did not consider non-statutory mitigating circumstances in the sentencing phase of the trial.  Prior to this appeal, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hitchcock v. Dugger (1987) that courts must consider non-statutory, as well as statutory mitigating circumstances, in the sentencing phases of capital trials.  The FSC denied the Petition on 05/12/88.

 

On 08/11/88, a second death warrant was signed by the Governor, scheduling the execution for 09/20/88.

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on 08/23/88, which was denied on 09/09/88.

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 09/12/88, citing that the court erred in not weighing non-statutory mitigating circumstances in the sentencing phase of the trial.  Previously, the FSC denied a Habeas Petition that argued those exact points, yet the FSC decided to address these points in the present 3.850 Motion Appeal, instead of the Habeas Petition.  During the deliberation in this appeal, the FSC issued a Stay of Execution on 09/14/88.  On 03/09/89, the FSC vacated Hall’s death sentence and remanded it for resentencing with a new jury.  In addition to this ruling, the court ordered that all future Hitchcock claims be raised in 3.850 motions, not Habeas petitions.

 

Hall filed a pro se Petition for a Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 01/23/91 that was denied, without comment, by the FSC on 02/26/91.

 

Hall was resentenced to death on 02/21/91.  The jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 8-4.

 

Hall filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 03/08/91, citing numerous issues: juror selection bias; exclusion of sympathetic juror instructions; exclusion of co-defendant’s conviction; exclusion of sympathetic witness testimony; improper consideration of jury recommendation by the judge; the re-sentencing court improperly found additional aggravating factors; the state did not prove two aggravating factors – avoid or prevent arrest and cold, calculated, and premeditated murder; unconstitutional vagueness of the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravating factor; findings of mitigating evidence; and death sentence not proportionate with his codefendant’s sentence.  The FSC affirmed the resentence on 01/14/93.

 

Hall filed a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 05/17/93 that was denied on 10/04/93.

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on 02/14/97, which was denied on 10/30/97.

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 12/15/97, citing five issues: the unconstitutionality of Florida’s capital sentencing statute in that it allows for the execution of a mentally retarded inmate, Hall is not competent to be resentenced, electrocution is cruel and unusual punishment, trial court’s summary denial of all but one of Hall’s thirty-three claims violated due process guarantees, and fundamental error that aggravators outweighed mitigating circumstances in the resentencing.  The FSC affirmed the lower court’s denial of the 3.850 Motion on 07/01/99.

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 08/02/00, citing ineffective assistance of trial counsel.  The FSC denied the Petition on 05/10/01.

 

Hall filed a federal Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District on 08/07/00.  On 01/29/01, the USDC administratively closed the case pending resolution of the state-level Habeas Petition.  On 07/26/01, the USDC administratively reopened the case, which is currently pending before the court.  On 03/20/03, the USDC stayed proceedings in the case pending the resolution of the 3.850 Motion.  On 07/12/04, the USDC administratively closed the case pending resolution of state-level proceedings. 

 

Hall filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court on 08/10/01, citing mental retardation issues.  The motion was denied on 05/13/08. 

 

Hall filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 10/12/01 that was denied on 02/19/02.

 

Hall filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on 11/30/04, citing claims of mental retardation.  The motion was denied on 06/24/08.

 

Hall filed a 3.851 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/24/08. The motion was denied on 09/15/08.

 

Hall filed a 3.851 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/09/10.  This motion is still pending.

 

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      

 

05/11/69                 0                              DISRESP TO OFFICIALS                   FLORIDA STATE PRISON

06/28/69                 30                           FIGHTING                                             FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/10/69                 0                              DEST. OF STATE PROP.                    FLORIDA STATE PRISON

04/15/72                 15                            THEFT                                                   FLORIDA STATE PRISON

11/16/78                 30                            PART.IN DISTURBANCE                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

11/23/79                 0                             FIGHTING                                             FLORIDA STATE PRISON

12/17/79                 0                             FIGHTING                                             FLORIDA STATE PRISON

11/01/80                 15                            DISOBEYING ORDER        FLORIDA STATE PRISON

02/01/82                 0                              FIGHTING                                             CENTRAL OFFICE     

05/28/82                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         CENTRAL OFFICE     

06/23/82                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         CENTRAL OFFICE     

07/27/82                 0                              DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  CENTRAL OFFICE     

10/23/82                 60                            DISOBEYING ORDER                         CENTRAL OFFICE     

10/27/82                 0                              SPOKEN THREATS                            CENTRAL OFFICE     

03/15/83                 0                              DISORDERLY CONDUCT                         FSP - WORK CAMP    

03/23/83                 0                              SPOKEN THREATS                            FSP - WORK CAMP    

03/23/83                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         FSP - WORK CAMP    

03/25/83                 0                              DISRESPECT TO OFFICIALS           FSP - WORK CAMP    

03/26/83                 0                              DISRESPECT TO OFFICIALS           FSP - WORK CAMP    

07/03/83                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         FSP - WORK CAMP    

03/05/85                 60                           DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

01/28/86                 30                            SPOKEN THREATS                            FLORIDA STATE PRISON

06/28/87                 60                           DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

05/26/88                 60                           DISOBEYING ORDER                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

11/15/88                 30                           FIGHTING                                             FLORIDA STATE PRISON

10/06/89                 0                             DISOBEYING ORDER                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

03/20/90                 0                             DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/06/90                 30                           DISOBEYING ORDER                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/19/90                 0                              DEST. OF STATE PROP.                    FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/25/90                 0                             DISOBEYING ORDER                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/26/90                 0                             DISOBEYING ORDER                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

02/07/91                 0                              LYING TO STAFF                               FLORIDA STATE PRISON

05/09/91                 30                            DISRESPECT TO OFFICIALS           FLORIDA STATE PRISON

12/08/91                 0                             DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

05/26/92                 0                              SPOKEN THREATS                            FLORIDA STATE PRISON

08/18/92                 30                            UNARMED ASSAULT                      FLORIDA STATE PRISON

09/24/92                 0                             DISORDERLY CONDUCT                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

01/15/93                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         UNION C. I.        

05/09/93                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         UNION C. I.        

12/04/97                 5                              POSS OF CONTRABAND                 UNION C. I.        

07/24/98                 0                              DISRESPECT TO OFFICIALS           UNION C. I.        

12/11/98                 0                              DISOBEYING ORDER                         UNION C. I.        

06/24/99                 0                              UNARMED ASSAULT                      UNION C. I.

09/07/99                 0                              DISRESPECT TO OFFICIALS           UNION C. I.

10/03/99                 0                              POSS OF CONTRABAND                 UNION C. I.

10/12/04                 0                              DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS                   UNION C. I.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:     05/24/01          JFL

Approved:        06/07/01          WS

Updated:          07/14/10          CAR