The Commission on Capital Cases updates thisinformation regularly.  This information, however, is subject to changeand may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not berelied upon for statistical or legal purposes. 

HAMILTON, Richard (W/M)

DC#    123846

DOB:   02/16/63

Third Judicial Circuit, Hamilton County Case # 94-150

(Venue changed to Clay County)

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable E. Vernon Douglas

Attorney, Trial: Jimmy E. Hunt & David M. Valin –Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal: David A. Davis – Assistant PublicDefender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: George W. Blow, III – Registry

Date of Offense:          04/27/94

Date of Sentence:        06/12/95

Circumstances of Offense:

Richard Hamilton and Anthony Wainwright escaped from a NorthCarolina prison, stole guns and a Cadillac, and traveled to Florida.  Whenthe car overheated on 04/27/94 in Lake City, FL, they kidnapped Carmen Gayheartat gunpoint from a Winn-Dixie parking lot and stole her Ford Bronco.  Thetwo raped, strangled, and shot Gayheart twice in the back of the head.

Codefendant Information:

Wainwright was also convicted of the charges and sentencedto death.

Trial Summary:

07/15/94         Indicted on the following counts:

                                  Count I First-Degree Murder

                                  Count II           Armedrobbery

                                  Count III          Armed kidnapping

                                  Count IV          Armed sexualbattery

08/12/94         Entered not guilty plea

05/30/95         Jury returned guilty verdict on all counts

06/01/95         By a vote of 10-2, jury recommended death sentence

06/12/95         Sentenced as follows:

                                  Count I First-Degree Murder – Death

                                  Counts II-IV    Life Imprisonment

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 86,021

703 So.2d 1038

07/10/95         Appeal filed

10/23/97         FSC affirmed conviction and sentence

01/08/98         Rehearing denied

02/09/98         Mandate issued

U.S. Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 97-8803

524 U.S. 956

04/07/98         Petition filed

06/26/98         USSC denied Petition

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 94-150

11/08/99         Motion filed

05/29/02         Circuit Court denied Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 02-1426

875 So.2d 586

06/28/02         Appeal filed

06/03/04         FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion

08/26/04         Mandate issued

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus

FSC# 02-2409

875 So.2d 586

11/12/02         Petition filed

11/27/02         Petition amended

06/03/04         FSC denied Petition

08/26/04         Mandate issued

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

USDC# 05-813

08/26/05         Petition filed

06/20/07         Amended petition filed

07/07/08         Petition denied

United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – HabeasAppeal

USCA# 08-14836

10/06/08         Appeal filed

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

The Direct Appeal was pending from 07/10/95 to 02/09/98.

Case Information:

On 07/10/95, Hamilton filed a Direct Appeal with the FloridaSupreme Court, citing the following nine errors: denying a mistrial, allowingthe State to impeach its own witnesses, allowing the State to elicit testimonyindicating Hamilton lied to the police, refusing to instruct the jury thatHamilton withdrew from the plan to commit murder, overruling defense objectionsto prosecutorial statements, admitting testimony concerning the victim’schildren, admitting several statements obtained in violation of his right tocut off police questioning, admitting evidence which the State had failed toprove, giving unconstitutional jury instruction on an aggravating circumstance(CCP).  The FSC affirmed the conviction and sentence of Hamilton on10/23/97.

On 04/07/98, Hamilton filed a Petition for Writ ofCertiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court that was denied on 06/26/98

On 11/08/99, Hamilton filed a 3.850 Motion with the CircuitCourt and amended the Motion on 06/30/00.  The Motion was denied on05/29/02.

On 06/28/02, Hamilton filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with theFlorida Supreme Court, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel.  On06/03/04, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion. 

On 11/12/02, Hamilton filed a Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus with the Florida Supreme Court.  On 11/27/02, he amended thePetition, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and Ring issues.  On06/03/04, the FSC denied the Petition.

On 08/26/05, Hamilton filed a Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle District that was amended on06/20/07. This petition was denied on 07/07/08.

On 10/06/08, Hamilton filed a Habeas Appeal with the UnitedStates Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit. This appeal was denied on 12/15/10.

Institutional Adjustment:

THE FOLLOWING ENTRIESREFLECT DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS AGAINST THE INMATE FOR VIOLATION OF THE RULE CITEDAND INDICATE THE GAIN TIME DAYS LOST.

DATE                   DAYS                    VIOLATION                                      LOCATION      

04/27/96                0                            DEST. OF ST.PROP.                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

08/05/98               60                          DISOBEYINGORDER                        CENTRALOFFICE      

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date:    09/06/01          JFL

Approved:       10/22/01          WS

Updated:          02/08/11         KLH