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. 

 

DAMREN, Floyd (W/M)

DC#     061360

DOB:   05/27/51

 

­­­Fourth Judicial Circuit, Clay County Case # 94-537

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Robert Foster

Attorney, Trial: Alan Chipperfield – Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Teresa Sopp – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: John Mills (Federal)- Private

 

Date of Offense:           05/01/94

Date of Sentence:         06/02/95

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

Floyd Damren entered the grounds of R.G.C. Mineral Sands and stole equipment, telling a friend that “There [is] … some more good stuff down there I’d like to get.” 

 

Several weeks later, on 05/01/94, after drinking beer with friends, Damren returned with an accomplice, Jeff Chittam, to steal more equipment.  The two burglarized the electrical shop in the maintenance barn.  Chittam was discovered by an employee, Don Miller, but Damren sneaked up behind Miller and struck him with a steel pipe.  Miller and Chittam both pleaded for Damren to spare Miller’s life, but after pacing the floor, Damren bludgeoned Miller to death with the steel pipe, striking him seven times on the head and four times on the body. 

 

As Damren was dragging Miller’s body across the floor, Michael Knight, the shift supervisor, entered the building and yelled at Damren.  Knight was acquainted with Damren due to the fact that he had lived in Knight’s neighborhood since childhood.  Damren threatened Knight with the pipe, and Knight ran yelling from the building. 

 

Knight identified Damren to the police and Damren was arrested.   Further evidence linking Damren to the crime included testimony from several witnesses that Damren made incriminating statements to them about the murder.  Also, blood stains on Damren’s pants matched Miller’s blood. 

 

At the time of the murder, Damren had an extensive criminal record.  The following is Damren’s prior prison history, covering periods of incarceration with the Florida Department of Corrections.

 

 Codefendant Information:

 

Chittam was not charged and did not testify at trial.  He was the victim of a separate homicide, for which Damren was also charged, convicted, and sentenced to a term of life imprisonment (Case# 95-1305). 

 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

 

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

 

 

11/24/1976

BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY

08/12/1977

ST. JOHNS

 

15Y 0M 0D

 

 

10/04/1979

BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY

12/18/1979

CLAY

 

5Y 0M 0D

 

 

03/30/1984

GRAND THEFT,$300 LESS &20,000

06/08/1984

CLAY

8400264

2Y 6M 0D

 

 

04/08/1989

COCAINE-POSSESS

08/03/1989

CLAY

8900325

2Y 0M 0D

 

 

06/21/1989

COCAINE-POSSESS

08/03/1989

CLAY

8900586

2Y 0M 0D

 

 

06/21/1989

OBSTRUCT CRIME INVESTIGATION

08/03/1989

CLAY

8900586

2Y 0M 0D

 

 

12/22/1991

MARIJUANA-POSSESS

01/30/1992

CLAY

9101558

3Y 0M 0D

 

 

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

05/10/94          Indicted on the following charges:

                        Count I First-Degree Murder

                        Count II           Armed Burglary

                        Count III          Aggravated Assault

05/17/95          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

05/18/95          Jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 12-0

05/25/95          Sentenced as follows:

                        Count I First-Degree Murder – Death

                        Count II           Armed Burglary – Life imprisonment

                        Count III          Aggravated Assault – 10 years

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 86,003

696 So. 2d 709

 

05/17/96          Appeal filed

05/08/97          FSC affirmed convictions and sentences

07/08/97          Rehearing denied

08/07/97          Mandate issued

 

U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC# 97-6428

522 U.S. 1054

 

10/06/97          Petition filed

01/12/98          USSC denied petition

 

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC# 94-537

 

11/18/98          Motion filed

06/20/01          Circuit Court denied motion

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Motion Appeal

FSC# 01-1469

838 So. 2d 512

 

07/05/01          Appeal filed

01/23/03          FSC affirmed denial of the motion

02/24/03          Mandate issued

 

Florida Supreme Court – Petition Writ of Habeas Corpus

FSC# 01-2808

838 So. 2d 512

 

12/19/01          Petition filed

01/23/03          FSC denied petition

02/24/03          Mandate issued

 

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

USDC# 03-397

452 F. Supp 2d 1203

(Pending)

 

04/20/04          Petition filed

01/21/09          USDC dismissed the petition

07/08/10          Order dismissing habeas petition vacated and remanded from the USCA

 

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

USCA# 09-10965

 

02/19/09          Appeal filed

07/08/10          Vacated order dismissing habeas petition and remanded to the USDC

 

Case Information:

 

On 05/17/96, Damren filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, citing the following trial court errors:  admission of similar-fact evidence; failure to give adequate jury instruction; overruling Damren’s objection to prosecutor comments; admission of victim impact evidence; admission of Chittam’s hearsay statements; finding that the murder was heinous, atrocious, or cruel and cold, calculated, and premeditated; failure to find certain mitigation; and imposing a sentence that is disproportionate compared to other crimes. On 05/08/97, the FSC affirmed Damren’s convictions and sentences.

 

On 10/06/97, Damren filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, which was denied on 01/12/98.

 

On 11/18/98, Damren filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court, which was denied on 06/20/01.

 

On 07/05/01, Damren filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, citing ineffective assistance of counsel.  The FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.851 Motion on 01/23/03. 

 

On 12/19/01, Damren filed a Petition Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court, citing issues of ineffective assistance of counsel; improper admission of hearsay statements; and vagueness of the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravating circumstance.  On 01/23/03, the FSC denied the Habeas Petition.

 

On 04/20/04, Damren filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District, which was dismissed with prejudice on 01/21/09. On 02/19/09, Damren filed a Habeas Appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals. On 07/08/10, the USCA vacated the USDC order dismissing the habeas petition and remanded the case to allow the USDC to reconsider its decision in light of Holland v. Florida. The case is pending in the USDC.

________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:   03/31/03          JFL

Approved:       04/01/03          WS

Updated:         08/02/10          KKR