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.
SOCHOR, Dennis AKA Paul Grant (W/M)
DC # 639131
DOB: 02/25/52
Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, Broward County, Case #86-15270
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Russell E. Seay, Jr.
Attorney, Trial: Charles Rich – Special Public Defender
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Gary Caldwell – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Paul Kalil, Rachel Day – CCRC-S
Date of Offense: 01/01/82
Date of Sentence: 11/02/87
Circumstances of Offense:
Dennis Sochor was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Patricia Gifford.
According to the testimony of Gary Sochor, Dennis Sochor’s brother, he and Dennis met Patricia Gifford, the victim, at a lounge on New Year’s Eve of 1981. When it was time to leave the lounge, Gary said that Dennis and Gifford were kissing while he waited in the truck. Gifford agreed to accompany Gary and Dennis to breakfast. Gary testified that Dennis drove to an isolated area with the victim sitting between the brothers in the truck. Dennis then stopped the vehicle. Gary claimed that Dennis assaulted Gifford while she screamed for help and that he tried to stop Dennis from assaulting the victim, but Dennis told him to get back in the truck. A short time later, Dennis came back to the truck, and they went home. The next morning, Gary found a woman’s shoe, sweater, and a set of keys in Dennis’ truck. He hid the keys. Later on, Gary noted that the truck had been cleaned and the shoe and sweater had been removed. Gary told Dennis about the keys and then gave the keys to Dennis because he demanded them. Gary returned to Michigan a few days later.
A female friend of the victim, who had accompanied Gifford to the lounge, testified at trial. She testified that they went to the lounge for a New Year’s Eve celebration. The friend became sick during the night, and Gifford, with the help of the Sochor brothers, assisted the friend to her car. Gifford’s friend awoke the next morning, realized that Gifford was missing and called the police. The police acquired a photo from the previous evening that showed Gifford with an unknown man. The photo was displayed on television, and Dennis Sochor’s roommates testified that Sochor quickly left after seeing the photo of himself sitting near the victim at the bar on television.
When the police learned that Gary Sochor had recently returned to Michigan, they interviewed him. Gary told the police that Dennis Sochor was responsible for Gifford’s disappearance. He also agreed to return to Florida to help find Gifford’s body. The police were never able to find Gifford’s body.
Dennis Sochor was arrested in Georgia on unrelated charges and extradited to Florida. Three taped confessions made by Sochor while in police custody were played for the jury. Sochor said that he had met Gifford at the lounge on New Year’s Eve, and they spent the evening talking. In the parking lot, they kissed and Sochor wanted to have sex with Gifford. She, however, refused, and they fought. During the fight, Gifford hit him, and Sochor choked her. Sochor claimed that he thought he killed Gifford and drove to a secluded area to get rid of the body. Dennis said that Gary was not with him during this part of the evening. Dennis Sochor said that he threw away pieces of a woman’s clothing that he found in his truck. After seeing the photo of himself and the victim on television, he drove to Tampa in his employer’s truck and abandoned the truck there. Sochor then went to New Orleans and on to Atlanta. In 1986, Sochor was arrested in Georgia on unrelated criminal charges and then was extradited to Florida.
Additional Information:
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Current Prison Sentence History: |
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Offense Date |
Offense |
Sentence Date |
County |
Case No. |
Prison Sentence |
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03/13/80 |
Sexual Battery by Threat |
11/02/87 |
Broward |
80-2497 |
Life |
According to the victim, Sochor forced her out of a Fort Lauderdale cocktail lounge on 03/13/80. He made her get into a vehicle and then drove to a remote area, forced her into a camper shell attached to the vehicle and sexually assaulted the victim. The victim was able to escape and went back to the scene with an officer. Sochor claimed that he did not force the victim to get into the vehicle and that he drove in the direction of his home. He further claimed that they had sexual relations and then he passed out. Sochor was sentenced on 09/30/80 to 1 year in jail and 5 years on probation. Sochor was resentenced on 11/02/87 to Life on the same count.
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Prior Prison Sentence History: |
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Offense Date |
Offense |
Sentence Date |
County |
Case No. |
Prison Sentence |
|
01/06/81 |
Grand Theft Motor Vehicle |
11/02/87 |
Broward |
82-0198 |
5 Years |
Trial Summary:
10/09/86 Sochor was indicted on the following:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: Kidnapping during the Commission of a Felony
10/20/87 The jury found Sochor guilty of each count of the indictment.
10/21/87 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 10 to 2 majority, voted for the death penalty.
11/02/87 Sochor was sentenced as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder – Death
Count II: Kidnapping during the Commission of a Felony – 22 years
Appeals Summary:
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal
FSC #71,407
580 So. 2d 595 (Fla. 1991)
11/03/87 Appeal filed
05/02/91 FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence
06/18/91 Rehearing denied
07/18/91 Mandate issued
United State Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC #91-5843
502 U.S. 967 (U.S. 1991)
09/16/91 Petition filed
11/18/91 USSC granted the Petition, vacated the Direct Appeal
denial, and remanded the case to the FSC
Florida Supreme Court – On Remand from United States Supreme Court
FSC #71,407
619 So. 2d 285 (Fla. 1993)
05/06/93 FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence
06/14/93 Rehearing denied
07/14/93 Mandate issued
United State Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC #93-5963
510 U.S. 1025 (U.S. 1994)
09/09/93 Petition filed
12/13/93 USSC denied the petition
02/22/94 Rehearing denied
Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC #86-15270 CF10
07/25/95 Motion filed
03/28/01 Motion denied
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal
FSC #01-885
883 So.2d 766 (Fla. 2004)
04/26/01 Appeal filed
07/08/04 Affirmed the trial court’s 3.850 denial
09/21/04 Rehearing denied
10/21/04 Mandate issued
Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
FSC #02-1797
883 So.2d 766 (Fla. 2004)
08/13/02 Petition filed
07/08/04 Petition denied
09/21/04 Rehearing denied
10/21/04 Mandate issued
United States District Court, Southern District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
USDC # 05-CIV-61534
09/19/05 Petition filed
09/22/09 Petition denied
10/05/09 Motion to Alter Judgment filed
09/22/10 Motion denied
10/21/10 Certificate of Appealability filed
Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC #86-15270 CF10
03/14/08 Motion filed
08/28/08 Motion denied
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal
FSC# 08-1841
22 So.3d 68
09/29/08 Notice of Appeal filed
10/30/09 FSC affirmed disposition of lower court
Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC #86-15270 CF10
03/13/09 Motion filed
01/19/11 Motion denied
United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – Habeas Appeal
USCA# 10-14944
(Pending)
10/21/10 Appeal filed
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal
FSC# 11-393
(Pending)
02/25/11 Appeal filed
Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:
The Direct Appeal was pending for more than three years prior to being denied. The case was remanded to the Florida Supreme Court from the United States Supreme Court when the United States Supreme Court granted the Petition for Writ of Certiorari. The 3.850 Motion was pending for more than five years prior to being denied. The Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus was pending for four years before it was denied.
Case Information:
Sochor filed his Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 11/03/87. The issues addressed included that there was insufficient evidence for a conviction of first-degree murder and that the trial court improperly admitted Sochor’s taped statements about the crimes because the victim’s body was never recovered. Sochor further argued that the prosecution commented on facts not admitted as evidence, government witnesses were allowed to testify about Sochor’s character, and the state granted leniency to a fellow inmate for testifying against Sochor. The Florida Supreme Court did not find errors that warranted reversing the conviction or sentence and affirmed the conviction and sentence on 05/02/91. Rehearing was denied on 06/18/91. A mandate was issued on 07/18/91.
On 09/16/91, Sochor filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court. The Petition was granted. The Florida Supreme Court’s denial of Sochor’s Direct Appeal was vacated due to errors in the harmless error analysis, and the case was remanded to the Florida Supreme Court on 11/18/91.
On remand, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence on 05/06/93. Rehearing was denied on 06/14/93. The mandate was issued on 07/14/93.
On 07/25/95, Sochor filed a 3.850 Motion in the circuit court. The motion was denied on 03/28/01.
Sochor filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 04/26/01. In the appeal, Sochor raised several arguments. His first argument was that error occurred in the lower court failing to grant a new penalty phase following the evidentiary hearing. Sochor argued that error occurred in the lower court denying a new guilt phase following the evidentiary hearing based on the following points: witness testimony was coerced, counsel was ineffective, Ake v. Oklahoma, and he was incompetent during the capital trial. Next, Sochor argued that error occurred in the lower court by its refusing to disqualify itself from the postconviction proceeding, denying several of his claims, and failing to object to unconstitutional jury instructions. Sochor’s final arguments were that he was innocent of first-degree murder, the rule prohibiting his lawyers from interviewing jurors was unconstitutional, and the Florida death penalty unconstitutionally permits cruel and unusual punishment. The FSC affirmed the denial of Sochor’s 3.850 Motion on 07/08/04.
Sochor filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus on 08/13/02. Five claims were raised in the appeal. First, Sochor claimed the appellate counsel failed to raise numerous meritorious issues. Next, he claimed the FSC did not conduct a proper harmless error analysis on remand and that his Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated by improper jury instruction. Sochor also claimed that he did not receive a proper direct appeal and that Florida’s capital sentencing statute violated the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments. The FSC found Sochor’s claims to be without merit and denied his petition on 7/08/04.
On 09/19/05, Sochor filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court, Southern District. The petition was denied on 09/22/09. A Motion to Alter Judgment was filed on 10/05/09. This motion was denied on 09/22/10. A Certificate for Appealability was filed on 10/21/10.
On 03/14/08, Sochor filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court. This motion was denied on 08/28/08.
On 09/29/08, Sochor filed a Notice of Appeal in the Florida State Supreme Court. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of the 3.850 motion on 10/30/09.
On 03/13/09, Sochor filed a 3.851 Motion in the Circuit Court. This motion was denied on 01/19/11.
Sochor filed a Habeas Appeal in the United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit on 10/21/10. This case is currently pending.
Sochor filed a 3.850 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 02/25/11. This case is currently pending.
Institutional Adjustment:
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DATE |
DAYS |
VIOLATION |
LOCATION |
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04/21/98 |
0 |
DISOBEYING ORDER |
UNION C.I. |
________________________________________________________________________
Report Date: 03/30/02 SQ
Approved: 02/28/03 WS
Updated: 04/13/11 EMJ