The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly

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.

LAWRENCE, Jonathan Huey (W/M)

DC# 898522

DOB: 04/12/75

First Judicial Circuit, Santa Rosa County Case# 98-270

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Paul A. Rasmussen

Attorney, Trial: Antoinette M. Stitt – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Chet Kaufman & David A. Davis – Assistant Public Defenders

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Michael P. Reiter – Registry

Date of Offense: 05/07/98

Date of Sentence: 08/15/00

Circumstances of Offense:

On 03/24/00, Jonathan Huey Lawrence was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Jennifer Robinson, conspiracy to commit the murder, providing alcoholic beverages to a minor and abuse of a human corpse.

On 05/07/98, Lawrence and his friend, Jeremiah Martel Rodgers, picked up 18-year-old Jennifer Robinson from her mother’s home. They drove to a secluded area in the woods where the three consumed alcoholic beverages. Robinson had sex with Lawrence and then Rodgers while under the influence of the alcoholic beverages provided by the two men. After having sex with both men, Robinson was shot in the back of the head by Rodgers with a Lorcin .380 handgun. Robinson died minutes later.

Lawrence and Rodgers loaded the body into Lawrence’s truck and drove deeper into the woods. After finding a stopping place, Lawrence scored Robinson’s calf and removed her muscle. Rodgers photographed Lawrence’s procedure with a Polaroid camera and each took turns posing with Robinson’s body. Afterwards, they buried Robinson at the site.

Robinson’s disappearance was traced to Lawrence and Rodgers. The men were confronted by an investigator and they denied ever knowing Robinson. Lawrence gave his consent for the investigator to search his trailer and truck. The investigator discovered the photographs of Robinson’s body taken during mutilation, disturbing notes written about the mutilation, a Lorcin .380 handgun, and miscellaneous artifacts of the murder event. Lawrence was instantly arrested by the investigator and confessed to his involvement; he then led investigators to Robinson’s body.

Lawrence was indicted on 06/04/98 and pled guilty on four counts: Count I, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder; Count II, giving alcoholic beverages to a minor; Count III, first-degree premeditated murder; and Count IV, abuse of a human corpse. Lawrence filed for a direct appeal on 03/27/00.

Codefendant Information:

Jeremiah Martel Rodgers (DC# 123101)

Rodgers pled guilty for the same offenses as Lawrence. Their prosecutions were conducted separately in the First Circuit Court of Santa Rosa County (CC# 98-274).

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Prior Prison History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration with the Florida Dept. of Corrections since January of 1983)

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

05/18/1993

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF/

PROP.DAMAGE

11/02/1993

SANTA ROSA

9300299

4Y 0M 0D

Trial Summary:

06/04/98 Indicted as follows:

Count I: Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder

Count II: Giving Alcoholic Beverages to a Person Under Twenty-one

Count III: First-Degree Premeditated Murder (Jennifer Robinson)

Count IV: Abuse of a Human Corpse

Count V: Possession of a Firearm of a Convicted Felon

03/24/00 Jury returned guilty verdicts on Counts I-IV; Count V was disposed nolle prosequi

03/30/00 Jury recommended death by a vote of 11-1

08/15/00 Sentenced as follows:

Count I: Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder – 18Y, 5M, 15D

Count II: Giving Alcoholic Beverages to a Person Under Twenty-one – 2Y, 3M, 11D

Count III: First-Degree Murder (Jennifer Robinson) – Death

Count IV: Abuse of Human Corpse – 15Y

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 00-1827

846 So. 2d 440 (2003)

03/27/00 Appeal filed

04/13/00 Presentence hearing

03/20/03 FSC affirmed sentence and conviction

05/14/03 Rehearing denied and mandate issued

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 03-5708

540 U.S. 952, 124 S.Ct. 394, 157 L.Ed.2d 286

07/15/03 Petition filed

10/14/03 Petition denied

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 98-270

07/09/04 Motion filed

02/11/05 Amended

01/26/06 Motion denied

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 06-352

969 So.2d 294 (Fla. 2007)

02/22/06 Appeal filed

11/01/07 Denial affirmed.

11/26/07 Mandate issued.

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Habeas Corpus

FSC# 06-1152

969 So.2d 294 (Fla. 2007)

06/14/06 Petition filed

11/01/07 Petition denied.

11/26/07 Mandate issued.

United States District Court, Northern District – Petition for Habeas Corpus

USDC# 08-69

02/20/08 Petition filed.

07/21/10 Petition denied.

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of Sentence:

It took the Florida Supreme Court three years to render a decision on Lawrence’s Direct Appeal.

Case Information:

On 3/27/00, Lawrence filed a Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. There were numerous issues raised. First, Lawrence claimed the trial court failed to appoint medical experts and order an evidentiary competency hearing regarding his current mental and psychological disturbances, which were of a serious nature. Second, Lawrence contended that the trial court erred again by excluding Rodgers’ criminal history, as Lawrence claimed that he acted under extreme duress through his involvement with Rodgers. Third, Lawrence argued that the trial court erroneously discovered the cold, calculated, and premeditated aggravator (CCP), indicating that Lawrence had a prearranged plan to kill Robinson. Fourth, Lawrence claimed that the trial court committed reversible error by including non-recorded facts on the CCP findings and by ambiguously assigning weight to the mitigator. Fifth, Lawrence raised the constitutionality of the death sentence, indicating that it violated Florida, federal, and international law. Sixth, Lawrence claimed the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial, as a result of the trial court committing reversible error by overruling Lawrence’s objections to the investigator’s opinion on Lawrence’s alter ego. Finally, Lawrence claimed that his sentence was disproportionate to the circumstances of the crime in that there were more mitigating than aggravated circumstances. Because the sentencing order of this case found extensive aggravating circumstances and substantial mitigating circumstances, the Court believed the trial judge properly weighed these circumstances in delivering his death sentence. Thus, the Court upheld his death sentence on 03/20/03.

On 07/15/03, Lawrence filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/14/03.

On 9/10/04, Lawrence filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court. The Motion was amended on 02/11/05, and was denied on 01/26/06.

On 02/22/06, Lawrence filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. On 11/01/07, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the Circuit Court’s denial of Lawrence’s 3.850 appeal. The Mandate was issued on 11/26/07.

On 06/14/06, Lawrence filed a Petition for Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court, which was denied on 11/01/07. The Mandate was issued on 11/26/07.

On 02/20/08, Lawrence filed a Petition for Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court, Northern District. This petition was denied on 07/21/10.

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date: 10/18/04 NRC

Approved: 10/18/04 JFL

Updated: 07/27/10 EMJ