The Commission on Capital Cases updates thisinformation regularly. This information; however, is subject to change and maynot reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied uponfor statistical or legal purposes.
Turner, James D. (W/M)
DOB: 01/27/72
7th Judicial Circuit, St. Johns County Case # 05-01954-CF
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Wendy W. Berger
Attorney, Trial: James R. Valerino – Public Defender’sOffice
Attorney, Direct Appeal: George D. E. Burden – PublicDefender’s Office
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Christopher S. Quarles –Federal
Date of Offense: 09/30/05
Date of Sentence: 04/24/08
Circumstances of Offense:
James Daniel Turner had been in jail in Newberry County,South Carolina, on a violation of probation charge. The sheriff’s officeassigned him to work on various tasks. He was considered trustworthy, whichgave him special privileges such as unrestricted access to most of thesheriff’s office and keys to vehicles in their parking lots. On 09/28/05,Turner escaped from the Newberry County Jail in a stolen Newberry County OfficeSports Utility Vehicle (SUV). The SUV was found the next day in a parking lotin St. Johns County, Florida, by local employees. Turner had left his identificationcard and crack cocaine in the vehicle.
On the morning of 09/30/05, Turner was spotted by two guestsand several housekeepers at the Comfort Inn in St. Augustine. He had passed byRenee Howard, her four children, granddaughter, and Stacia Raybon, when on theywere on their way to breakfast at the motel. After breakfast, Howard drove herson to work and daughter to school. Two of the other children joined her in thetruck. When Howard returned to the motel, Raybon came downstairs to help herwith the children. She saw Turner standing outside their room on her way down.Howard, Raybon, and the three children returned to the motel room to preparefor checking out.
Raybon was preparing bottles for the children when Turnerentered their room. He struck Howard first and then attacked Raybon by stabbingher in the elbow. Turner saw Howard move back towards the door entrance.Meanwhile, Raybon grabbed her purse and locked herself in the bathroom. Raybonheard hitting noises and children screaming outside the bathroom. Turner triedto enter the bathroom several times. Raybon asked him to give her one of thekids. He demanded money, so Raybon gave him several credit cards. Turnerallowed one of the children to enter the bathroom with Raybon. She pleaded withTurner to not hurt her or the children. He told her to wait 10 minutes beforeleaving the room. Turner left one minute later, and Raybon came out of thebathroom to find Howard dead. The pathologist who conducted the autopsyconcluded that Howard died due to shock and blood loss from 15 stab wounds.
Raybon attempted to call 911 from the hotel room, but wasunable to connect. One of the housekeepers allowed Raybon to use her cellphone. When the police arrived, Raybon provided a description of Turner andHoward’s truck, which was now missing.
Deputy Graham T. Harris spotted the truck, with Turnerdriving it, five miles away from the Comfort Inn. He approached the truck andturned on his flashing lights, but the truck went in reverse, rear-ending thefront end of Harris’s patrol car. Turner pulled away from Harris’s car, butthen began to hit the driver’s side. Harris accelerated in an attempt toescape, but Turner continued to hit him from behind. Eventually, the truck hita guard rail on the Deep Creek Bridge. Turner exited the truck and jumped offof the bridge into the creek below.
Multiple deputies arrived at the bridge, bringing a searchcanine with them. The dog found Turner in the creek. Turner would not complywith the deputies’ commands to surrender; so, the canine was ordered to attackTurner. Turner attempted to drown the dog, but eventually surrendered.
Trial Summary:
10/19/05 Indictedas follows:
CountI: First-Degree Murder
CountII: Attempted First-Degree Murder
CountIII: Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle)
CountIV: Home-Invasion Robbery
CountV: Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer
11/29/07 Juryreturned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
12/05/07 Juryrecommended death by a vote of 10-2
04/24/08 Sentencedas follows:
CountI: First-Degree Murder – Death
CountII: Attempted First-Degree Murder – 30 years
CountIII: Grand Theft (Motor Vehicle) – 5 years
CountIV: Home-Invasion Robbery – Life in Prison
CountV: Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer – 15 years
Appeal Summary:
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal
FSC# 08-975
05/27/08 Appealfiled
12/09/09 Oralarguments held
05/20/10 FSCaffirmed convictions and sentences
06/10/10 Mandateissued
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ ofCertiorari
USSC# 10-6270
131S.Ct. 426
08/20/10 Petition filed
10/18/10 Petition denied
Case Information:
On 05/27/08, Turner filed a Direct Appeal in the FloridaSupreme Court. He made the following claims: (1) double jeopardy; (2)cold, calculated premeditation aggravator; (3) death penalty isdisproportionate; (4) Ring v. Arizona; and (5) sufficiency of evidence.Oral arguments were held on 12/09/09. The Florida Supreme Court affirmedTurner’s convictions and sentences on 05/20/10. A mandate was issued on06/10/10.
Turner filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the UnitedStates Supreme Court on 08/20/10. This petition was denied on 10/18/10.
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Report Date: 06/14/10 EMJ
Approved: 06/18/10 RM
Updated: 04/12/11 EMJ