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.
OATS, Jr., Sonny Boy (B/M)
DC# 051769
DOB: 05/25/57
Fifth Judicial Circuit, Marion County Case# 80-16
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable William T. Swigert
Attorneys, Trial: Theodore N. Taylor & Frank T. Johnson – Asst. Public Defenders
Attorneys, Direct Appeal: James B. Gibson & Cynthia Karl-Stamm – Asst. Public Defenders
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Martin J. McClain – CCRC-S
Date of Offense: 12/20/79
Date of Sentence: 02/10/81
Date of Resentence: 04/26/84
Circumstances of Offense:
Sonny Boy Oats, Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm on 01/30/80. He was sentenced to death for murder and 99 years for robbery with a firearm.
On 12/20/79, Jeanette Dyer, the clerk at the Little Country Store in Martel, Florida, was found lying on the floor with a gunshot wound, which penetrated her right eye and brain. When Dyer was discovered, she had a faint heartbeat but died shortly after arriving at the hospital. At the store, money was missing from the cash register.
On 12/24/79, an Ocala policeman observed a vehicle with two suspicious-looking men inside it, who were customers of the Jiffy Food Store. As the officer approached the vehicle, the men sped away, leading to a high-speed chase between the officer and the suspects. During the chase, the vehicle crashed, but the two men were not immediately apprehended. Donnie Williams was arrested shortly after the crash and transported to the Marion County Jail. Oats was present at the jail inquiring about Williams’ release. Before he could get a response, Oats was informed that he was a suspect in the high-speed chase and was arrested.
Oats admitted to, not only his involvement in the high-speed chase, but also to the robbery of the Little Country Store and the murder of Dyer, the store’s clerk. Subsequently, he confessed to a robbery of an ABC Liquor Store and the shooting of the store’s clerk, which took place one day prior to the Little Country Store robbery. Oats directed police officers to a site where he had tossed his weapon subsequent to the high-speed chase. According to his statements of the ABC Liquor Store shooting, Oats claimed that he did not intend to shoot the clerk. At some time during the robbery, his foot slipped and his gun fired, the bullet hit the counter and almost shot the clerk.
On June 1980, Oats was tried for the ABC Liquor Store robbery and shooting (Case #80-15 CFA), prior to and separate from the Little Country Store robbery and shooting. He was convicted of robbery with a firearm and second-degree murder. Oats escaped from jail shortly after he went into custody at the Marion County Jail. About six months later, Oats was recaptured in Texas by federal agents and sent back to the Marion County Jail.
On 01/30/80, Oats was indicted for the Little Country Store robbery and murder. At his trial, the state introduced evidence tying Oats to the ABC robbery and shooting, as the same weapon was used for both robberies and shootings.
Codefendant Information:
During Oats’ indictment, evidence was presented that Donnie Williams was also involved in the Little Country Store homicide, but was not charged. Additional evidence was presented in the Rule 3.850 hearing concerning his involvement.
Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:
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Prior Prison History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration with the Florida Dept. of Corrections since January of 1983) |
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Offense Date |
Offense |
Sentence Date |
County |
Case No. |
Prison Sentence Length |
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12/11/1975 |
BURGUNOCCSTRUC/CV OR ATT. |
01/26/1976 |
MARION |
7500885 |
5Y 0M 0D |
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Prior Community Supervision History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of community supervision with the Florida Dept. of Corrections since January of 1983) |
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Offense Date |
Offense |
Sentence Date |
County |
Case No. |
Community Supervision Length |
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|
|
12/11/1975 |
BURGUNOCCSTRUC/CV OR ATT. |
01/26/1976 |
MARION |
7500885 |
1Y 5M 0D |
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Trial Summary:
01/30/80 Indicted as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: Robbery with a Firearm
02/06/81 Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
02/10/81 Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0
02/10/81 Sentenced as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder – Death
Count II: Robbery with a Firearm – 99 years
04/26/84 Trial court resentenced Oats to death
Appeal Summary:
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal
FSC# 60,489
446 So. 2d 90 (Fla. 1984)
04/08/81 Appeal filed
02/23/84 FSC affirmed conviction and remanded for a new sentencing order
04/03/84 Mandate issued
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal (Resentencing)
FSC# 65,381
472 So. 2d 1143 (Fla. 1985)
06/01/84 Appeal filed
04/25/85 FSC affirmed the sentence of death
05/15/85 Motion for rehearing filed
08/16/85 FSC denied rehearing
10/02/85 Mandate issued
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC# 85-5119
474 US 865
06/24/85 Petition filed
10/07/85 Petition denied
Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC# 80-16
10/07/87 Motion filed
02/19/90 Evidentiary hearing held
11/21/90 Motion denied
12/15/90 Motion for rehearing filed
02/26/91 Rehearing denied
Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
FSC# 74,194
638 So. 2d 20 (Fla. 1994)
05/23/89 Petition filed
03/31/94 Petition denied
05/06/94 Motion for rehearing filed
06/13/94 Rehearing denied and mandate issued
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal
FSC# 77,645
638 So 2d. 20 (Fla. 1994)
03/25/91 Appeal filed
03/31/94 FSC affirms trial court’s denial of Oats’s 3.850 Motion
05/06/94 Motion for rehearing filed
06/13/94 Rehearing denied and mandate issued
United States District Court Middle District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
USDC# 94-164
08/12/94 Petition filed
07/15/96 Petition denied
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC# 94-6560
513 U.S. 1087
10/20/94 Petition filed
01/09/95 Petition denied
United States Court of Appeals – Habeas Appeal
USCA# 96-3725
141 F.3d 1018 (1998)
12/03/96 Appeal filed
05/19/98 USCA affirms denial
06/12/98 Motion for rehearing filed
11/17/98 Rehearing denied
12/02/98 Mandate issued
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC# 98-8923
527 U.S. 1008
04/08/99 Petition filed
06/14/99 Petition denied
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal (counsel issues)
FSC# 00-3
753 So. 2d 565 (Fla. 2000)
01/03/00 Motion filed
01/10/00 Motion to dismiss filed
02/24/00 Motion denied and motion to dismiss granted
State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC# 80-16
03/15/02 Motion filed
11/25/02 Evidentiary hearing held
01/24/05 The lower court denied claims 4 and 5
State Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion
CC# 80-16
(Pending)
11/30/04 Motion filed
Death Warrant:
04/18/89 Death warrant signed by Governor Robert Martinez and execution set for 06/20/89
06/02/89 Trial court grants stay of execution
Clemency Hearing:
08/28/87 Interview conducted by Florida Parole Commissioner Charles H. Lawson
09/03/87 Hearing held before Clemency Board and denied
Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:
On 06/14/80, Oats escaped from the Marion County Jail. Six months later, on 12/14/80, Oats was arrested and taken into custody in Texas and then returned to the Marion County Jail.
The FSC took three years to complete the Direct Appeal, took five years to decide on the Habeas petition and three years to decide the first 3.850 Appeal.
The Circuit Court also took three years to decide Oats’ first 3.850 Motion, and almost three years for Oats’ second 3.850 Motion.
Case Information:
Oats raised six issues pertaining to the guilt phase of his Direct Appeal, which took place on 04/08/81. First, Oats claimed that the trial court erred by its failure to suppress his confessions in that they were not free and voluntary, but were extracted by a type of mental coercion. Second, Oats argued that he was denied the right to a fair and impartial trial by the court’s failure to sequester the jury. Third, Oats contended that the trial judge erred by failing to grant a change of venue on the grounds that the pretrial publicity was persuasive, inflammatory and prejudicial. Fourth, Oats claimed that the trial court erred by allowing the state to use Oats’ confession of the ABC robbery and shooting. Fifth, Oats argued that the prosecutor made prejudicial and inflammatory remarks in the course of the trial. Finally, Oats claimed that the trial court erred in denying his motion for a directed verdict of acquittal and new trial and accepting the guilty verdict of premeditated murder, which was claimed to be against the weight and sufficiency of the evidence. On 02/03/84, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed Oats’ conviction and remanded for a new sentencing order.
On 06/01/84, Oats filed a Direct Appeal for resentencing to the Florida Supreme Court. On 04/25/85, the Court affirmed his death sentence.
Oats filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 06/24/85, which was denied on 10/07/85.
On 10/07/87, Oats filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court, which was denied on 11/21/90. Oats filed a motion for a rehearing on 12/15/90, which was denied 02/26/91.
On 05/23/89, Oats filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court. This petition was pending for five years before it was decided on 03/31/94. On 05/06/94, Oats filed a motion for a rehearing. His motion was denied on 06/13/94 and a mandate was issued.
While Oats was petitioning a Writ of Habeas Corpus, Oats filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 03/25/91. After a three-year delay in their decision, the Court affirmed the trial court’s denial on 03//31/94. Oats filed a motion for a rehearing on 05/06/94, which was denied and a mandate was issued on 06/13/94.
Oats filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District Court, Middle District on 08/12/94, which was denied on 07/15/96.
While Oats was petitioning for a Writ of Habeas Corpus, he also filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 10/20/94, which was denied on 01/09/95.
Oats filed Habeas Appeal to the United States Court of Appeals on 12/03/96. The denial was affirmed on 05/19/98. Oats filed a motion for a rehearing on 06/12/98, which was denied on 11/17/98.
Oats filed another Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 04/08/99, which was denied on 06/14/99.
On 03/15/02, Oats filed a second 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court, pending Florida Supreme Court appeals with Thomas v State (FSC# 00-1092) and Miller v State (FSC# 01-837) – cases involving mental retardation issues. On 11/25/02, an evidentiary hearing was held on the following five claims that: (1) the death sentence violated florida’s constitutional prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, (2) the death sentence violated the equal protection and due process clause to the 14th Amendment of the United States and Florida Constitutions, (3) the death sentence stands in violation of the 8th and 14th Amendments to the United States Constitution, (4) due to conflict of interest, counsel should be permitted to withdraw and Oats should be provided with conflict-free collateral counsel, and (5) Florida’s capital sentencing statute violates the 6th and 14th Amendments. On 01/24/05, the lower court granted an evidentiary hearing for claims 1-3 for the purposes of determining whether Oats is mentally retarded, and denied claims 4 and 5 as successive and procedurally barred.
On 11/30/04, Oats filed a 3.851 Motion to the Circuit Court, which is currently pending.
Institutional Adjustment:
DATE DAYS VIOLATION LOCATION
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06/18/83 0 ASSAULTS OR ATTEMPT NEW RIVER "O" UNIT
02/20/84 30 FAILURE TO COMPLY NEW RIVER "O" UNIT
04/15/86 15 DISOBEYING ORDER FLORIDA STATE PRISON
06/30/86 180 ASSAULTS OR ATTEMPT FLORIDA STATE PRISON
03/21/88 60 DISOBEYING ORDER FLORIDA STATE PRISON
04/06/88 180 UNARMED ASSAULT FLORIDA STATE PRISON
10/12/89 30 FIGHTING FLORIDA STATE PRISON
12/01/90 0 DISORDERLY CONDUCT FLORIDA STATE PRISON
02/27/94 0 DISORDERLY CONDUCT UNION C. I.
08/11/95 0 DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS UNION C. I.
02/26/02 0 LYING TO STAFF UNION C. I.
12/13/03 0 LYING TO STAFF UNION C. I.
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Report Date 11/05/04 NRC
Approved 11/05/04 JFL
Updated: 11/07/08 AEH