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. 

CHAMBERLAIN, John (W/M)

DC#     478755

DOB:   01/17/78

Fifteenth Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County Case #98-12923

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Marvin Mounts

Attorney, Trial: Gregg Lerman – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Gregg Lerman – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Suzanne Keffer – CCRC-S

Date of Offense:          11/26/98

Date of Sentence:        05/10/02

Circumstances of Offense:

In October and November of 1998, Amanda Ingman began tryingto locate her drug supplier and “occasional pimp,” Thomas Thibault, to purchasesome cocaine.  Thibault contacted Ingman at a house where she was livingwith her boyfriend, Bryan Harrison, and his roommates, Charlotte Kenyan andDaniel Ketchum.  Harrison became upset when he found out that Thibaultcalled Ingman.

In the early morning hours of 11/26/98, Thibault enlistedthe help of John Chamberlain and Jason Dascott to deliver some cocaine toIngman and resolve the argument with Harrison.  Thibault told Chamberlainthat there might be a confrontation.  Chamberlain drove his father’s carand picked up Thibault and Dascott.  While stopped at a gas station, Chamberlainshowed Thibault a .45 caliber handgun and ammunition that were stored in thetrunk of the car. 

After the argument between Thibault and Harrison wasresolved, Chamberlain, Thibault, Dascott, Ingman, and Harrison snorted cocainein Ingman’s bedroom.  The group then went out to get more cocaine, andupon returning to the house, Harrison and Ingman went inside, whileChamberlain, Thibault, and Dascott remained outside and discussed a plan to robthe residents of the house and steal the electronic equipment from thehouse. 

Either Ingman or Dascott persuaded Ketchum to open a safe inthe living room.  Thibault then pulled out the .45 caliber handgun andordered Ketchum and Harrison into the bathroom.  Chamberlain helped bystriking Ketchum in the leg with an asp, an extendable police baton. Thibault held Ketchum and Harrison in the bathroom, while Ingman, Dascott, andChamberlain removed the electronic equipment from the house and put them inChamberlain’s car. 

While in the bathroom, Ketchum attempted to overpowerThibault, but he shot and killed Ketchum in the struggle.  Thibault leftthe bathroom and told the others that he had killed Ketchum.  According toThibault and Ingman, Chamberlain then said “no more witnesses” and encouragedThibault to kill Harrison or else they were “all going to die” and were “allgoing to the electric chair.” 

Ingman and Thibault awakened Charlotte Kenyan, who had beensleeping in a back bedroom and placed her in the bathroom with Harrison. Thibault then “emptied the gun” into Harrison and Kenyan while Chamberlainstood by his side.  Harrison was not dead, so Thibault and Chamberlainwent to the car, retrieved more bullets, reloaded the gun and Thibault again“emptied the gun” into Harrison and Kenyan. 

After going back to Chamberlain’s parent’s house, Ingmanlater went to the house of Harrison’s father and told him of the murders. Police were alerted to Chamberlain’s involvement by Ingman. 

Codefendant Information:

Thomas Thibault, JasonDascott, and Amanda Ingman all testified against Chamberlain. 

Thomas Thibault pledguilty to three counts of First-Degree Murder and was sentenced to death.

Jason Dascott pled guiltyto three counts of Second-Degree Murder and was sentenced to a prison sentenceof 10 years and probation sentence of 5 years.

Amanda Ingman was notcharged with a crime. 

Prior Community Supervision History in the State ofFlorida:

Trial Summary:

05/30/00         Indicted as follows:

                                   Count I:           First-Degree Murder –Ketchum                                                                     CountII:           First-DegreeMurder – Harrison

                                   Count III:         First-Degree Murder– Kenyan

                                   Count IV:         Armed Burglary withAssault

                                   Count V:          Armed Robbery

11/21/00         Jury recommendation waived

02/16/01         Jury returned guilty verdicts on Counts I, II, III, and V. 

                       Judgment of Acquittal ordered on Count IV

05/10/02         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I:           First-Degree Murder – Ketchum – Death

                                   Count II:          First-Degree Murder – Harrison – Death

                                   Count III:         First-Degree Murder– Kenyan – Death

                                   Count V:          Armed Robbery –Life Imprisonment

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 02-1150

881 So. 2d 1087

05/21/02         Direct Appeal filed

06/17/04         Convictions and sentences affirmed

09/01/04         Rehearing denied and Mandate issued

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

USSC# 04-8361

544 U.S. 930

01/21/05         Petition filed

03/21/05         Petition denied

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC# 98-12923

03/14/06         Motion filed

05/03/07         Amended motion filed

04/15/08         Sentence vacated; resentenced to life imprisonment

Case Information:

Chamberlain filed aDirect Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 05/21/02, citing the followingerrors: death qualification of the jury; denying a motion to disqualify thejudge; allowing improper comments on Chamberlain’s credibility; allowingout-of-court identification of Chamberlain; violating the rule ofsequestration; using prior consistent statements; using a demonstrative aid;constitutionality of the felony-murder jury instruction; failing to havesufficient evidence of First-Degree Murder; constitutionality of the murder inthe course of a felony aggravator; failing to have sufficient evidence tosupport aggravating factors and rejecting mitigating factors.  On06/17/04, the convictions and sentences were affirmed. 

Chamberlain filed aPetition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 01/21/05 thatwas denied on 03/21/05.

Chamberlain filed a 3.851Motion with the Circuit Court on 03/14/06, and was amended on 05/03/07. On 07/16/07, this motion was postponed until State v. Ian Lightbourne(CC#81-170-CF-A-01) was decided.

Chamberlain filed an All Writs Petition in theFlorida Supreme Court on 12/14/06, which was denied on 09/10/07.

On 04/15/08 the CircuitCourt vacated Chamberlain’s death sentence and resentenced Chamberain to lifeimprisonment.

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Report Date:   09/23/04          JFL

Updated:        05/14/08          KLH