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.
JACKSON, Ray (B/M)
DC# 973885
DOB: 05/29/75
Seventh Judicial Circuit, Volusia County Case # 2005-32590 CF AES
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable R. Michael Hutcheson
Attorney, Trial: Gerald F. Keating – Assistant Public Defenders, Seventh Judicial Circuit
Attorney, Direct Appeal: James S. Purdy – Private
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: R. Ahmed and C. Rodriguez – CCRC-M
Date of Offense: 11/09/04
Date of Sentence: 06/21/07
Circumstances of Offense:
Ray Jackson and his codefendant, Michael Wooten, were convicted of kidnapping and the first-degree murder of Pallis Paulk. On November 9th, 2004, Pallis Paulk was kidnapped, and then murdered in retribution for stealing drugs and money from Jackson. On April 17, 2005, her body was found in a shallow grave near Williamson Boulevard in Daytona Beach.
On the early morning of November 9th, Paulk arrived at her friend’s house, Curtis Vreen, in a red hatchback. Paulk was looking for Ecstasy pills, and Vreen gave her half of one. Later in the day, Paulk called her cousin, Calvin Morris, and told him, “I have a lick for you, Cuz,” which meant that she had found a person to rob.
Next, Morris and Paulk met at Jackson’s apartment in Daytona Beach. Morris and Paulk entered, and saw Jackson sleeping in the bed. Morris became worried that Jackson might awake, and went back to the car to wait. Shortly after, Paulk came back to the car carrying a Sponge Bob bag that contained two ounces of cocaine, some marijuana, men’s jewelry, a cell phone, and approximately $800. They left together and headed to Sanford, Florida, to pick up Morris’s girlfriend.
Sometime after Paulk left Jackson’s apartment, Jackson woke up and discovered the theft. Jackson and codefendant Wooten went to Latisha Allen’s apartment and spoke to Frederick Hunt, a cousin of Vreen’s. Hunt called Vreen and asked about Paulk. Vreen said that Paulk had called him and left a cell-phone number. Hunt then gave this information to Jackson, and they left.
Morris took Paulk to Vreen’s house. Sometime after Paulk entered the house, Jackson and Paulk came out of the house and walked up to Morris’s car. Morris noticed that Jackson had a gun, and that Paulk looked upset, like she wanted to cry. After retrieving some items that were stolen, Jackson shoved Paulk into the back of his red hatchback, and then Jackson, Wooten, and Paulk drove away. Morris followed, but stopped after Jackson held a gun out of the window.
Jackson, Paulk, and Wooten went to Latisha Allen’s apartment. Hunt, Thomas, and Allen were not home at the time he arrived, but Jackson had keys to the apartment. Thomas and Hunt had left earlier, but were stopped by the police. Thomas was arrested for driving without a license. Allen learned of the arrest and came to get the car and Hunt. Based on this arrest, which happened on the same day, the evidence established that Paulk was kidnapped on November 9, 2004.
After the arrest, Allen and Hunt returned and saw a red hatchback parked in the front Allen’s apartment. After they entered their apartment, Jackson told Allen he was robbed and took her to look inside the bathroom. Allen went inside the bathroom and saw a woman in her bathtub. The woman was dressed, but had her hands tied behind her back. The woman told Allen that she was okay and it was her fault, and then Allen left the room. Wooten told her not to be “dumb” like the woman, because she could share the same fate. Allen asked if Jackson was going to kill her, and he responded by nodding “yes”. Allen left to bail out her boyfriend, but Hunt stayed.
There were a number of people in Allen’s apartment at the time, but Wooten and Jackson were the only people that entered the bathroom after Allen left. Jackson also asked if anyone wanted to “have fun” with Paulk, but no one replied. Jackson then got some duct tape, and after putting on some gloves, he went into the bathroom.
In the nighttime, Jackson had several people serving as lookouts. Jackson then retrieved Paulk and carried her over his shoulder to one of his cars, a blue Oldsmobile Delta 88. Paulk pleaded with Jackson not to put her in the trunk, but, despite her pleas, she was forced into the trunk of the car. She resisted by straightening her legs so the trunk would not close, but after Jackson punched her in the face, and Hunt hit her in the back of her legs, they were finally able to close the trunk. Jackson retrieved his keys and drove off. This was the last time Paulk was seen alive.
A family member of Paulk’s called Jackson’s cell-phone, and instead, Hunt answered. The family member accused Jackson of doing something with Paulk. Hunt informed Jackson of the call, but Jackson said he was not “worried about it because they ain’t got no body, they ain’t got no case.”
On April 17, 2005, Paulk’s body was found in a shallow grave near Williamson Boulevard in Daytona Beach. There were no visible signs of injury, but the body was severely decomposed. A forensic dentist used dental comparisons to affirm that the body was Paulk’s. The medical examiner opined that the cause of death was homicidal violence of undetermined etiology. He was not able to determine the precise method of death, but he ruled out drug overdose after reviewing a toxicology report. Hunt and Allen came to the police after the body was found and provided information regarding her disappearance.
At trial, the jury recommended that Jackson be sentenced to death by a vote of nine to three.
Codefendant Information:
Michael Wooten received a life sentence for the first-degree felony murder and kidnapping that took place on November 9th, 2004.
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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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01/19/1994 |
ROBB. NO GUN/DDLY.WPN |
09/07/1994 |
VOLUSIA |
9430278 |
4Y 0M 0D |
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01/19/1994 |
CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM |
09/07/1994 |
VOLUSIA |
9430278 |
4Y 0M 0D |
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11/22/1993 |
COCAINE-SALE OR PURCHASE |
02/06/2001 |
VOLUSIA |
9430829 |
2Y 6M 0D |
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01/09/2000 |
COCAINE - POSSESSION |
02/06/2001 |
VOLUSIA |
0030147 |
2Y 6M 0D |
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11/16/2000 |
COCAINE-SALE/MANUF/DELIV. |
02/06/2001 |
VOLUSIA |
0036326 |
2Y 6M 0D |
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Trial Summary:
05/03/05 Indicted as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: Kidnapping
04/20/07 Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
05/09/07 Jury recommended death by a vote of 9-3
06/21/07 Sentenced as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder – Death Sentence
Count II: Kidnapping – Death Sentence
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Current Prison Sentence History: |
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Offense Date |
Offense |
Sentence Date |
County |
Case No. |
Prison Sentence Length |
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|
11/01/2004 |
1ST DEG MUR,COM.OF FELONY |
06/21/2007 |
VOLUSIA |
0532590 |
DEATH SENTENCE |
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11/01/2004 |
KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY |
06/21/2007 |
VOLUSIA |
0532590 |
SENTENCED TO LIFE |
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Appeal Summary:
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal
FSC #07-1233
--- So.3d ----, 2009 WL 3029662
07/02/07 Appeal filed
09/24/09 Appeal denied
10/09/09 Motion for Rehearing
01/08/10 Motion for Rehearing Denied
01/25/10 Mandate
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC #09-10171
04/08/10 Petition filed
06/14/10 Petition denied
Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion
CC# 05-32590
(Pending)
04/08/11 Motion filed
Case Information:
A Direct Appeal was filed with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/02/07. The following issues were raised: improper impeachment by the State coupled with improper argument to the jury by the prosecutor; the trial court erred in allowing into evidence matters that were irrelevant and prejudicial; and, the trial court erred in denying Jackson’s request for an instruction regarding circumstantial evidence. The Florida Supreme Court found all of the claims either harmless or without merit and affirmed the conviction and sentence on 09/24/09.
On 04/08/10, Jackson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. This petition was denied on 06/14/10.
On 04/08/11, Jackson filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court. This motion is currently pending.
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Report Date: 10/06/09 CAR
Approved: 10/13/09 CAR
Updated: 05/12/11 CAR