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. 

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 PublicDefenders, 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, wereconvicted of kidnapping and the first-degree murder of Pallis Paulk.  OnNovember 9th, 2004, Pallis Paulk was kidnapped, and then murdered inretribution for stealing drugs and money from Jackson.  On April 17, 2005,her body was found in a shallow grave near Williamson Boulevard in DaytonaBeach.

On the early morning of November 9th, Paulk arrived at herfriend’s house, Curtis Vreen, in a red hatchback.  Paulk was looking forEcstasy pills, and Vreen gave her half of one.  Later in the day, Paulkcalled 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 DaytonaBeach.  Morris and Paulk entered, and saw Jackson sleeping in the bed.Morris became worried that Jackson might awake, and went back to the car towait.  Shortly after, Paulk came back to the car carrying a Sponge Bob bagthat contained two ounces of cocaine, some marijuana, men’s jewelry, a cellphone, 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 wokeup and discovered the theft.  Jackson and codefendant Wooten went toLatisha Allen’s apartment and spoke to Frederick Hunt, a cousin ofVreen’s.  Hunt called Vreen and asked about Paulk. Vreen said that Paulkhad called him and left a cell-phone number.  Hunt then gave thisinformation to Jackson, and they left.

Morris took Paulk to Vreen’s house.  Sometime afterPaulk entered the house, Jackson and Paulk came out of the house and walked upto Morris’s car.  Morris noticed that Jackson had a gun, and that Paulklooked upset, like she wanted to cry.  After retrieving some items thatwere stolen, Jackson shoved Paulk into the back of his red hatchback, and thenJackson, Wooten, and Paulk drove away.  Morris followed, but stopped afterJackson held a gun out of the window. 

Jackson, Paulk, and Wooten went to Latisha Allen’sapartment.  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 alicense.  Allen learned of the arrest and came to get the car andHunt.  Based on this arrest, which happened on the same day, the evidenceestablished that Paulk was kidnapped on November 9, 2004. 

After the arrest, Allen and Hunt returned and saw a redhatchback parked in the front Allen’s apartment.  After they entered theirapartment, Jackson told Allen he was robbed and took her to look inside thebathroom.  Allen went inside the bathroom and saw a woman in herbathtub.  The woman was dressed, but had her hands tied behind herback.  The woman told Allen that she was okay and it was her fault, andthen Allen left the room.  Wooten told her not to be “dumb” like thewoman, because she could share the same fate.  Allen asked if Jackson wasgoing to kill her, and he responded by nodding “yes”.  Allen left to bailout 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 afterAllen 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 onsome gloves, he went into the bathroom.

In the nighttime, Jackson had several people serving aslookouts.  Jackson then retrieved Paulk and carried her over his shoulderto one of his cars, a blue Oldsmobile Delta 88.   Paulk pleaded withJackson not to put her in the trunk, but, despite her pleas, she was forcedinto the trunk of the car.  She resisted by straightening her legs so thetrunk would not close, but after Jackson punched her in the face, and Hunt hither 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 Paulkwas seen alive.

A family member of Paulk’s called Jackson’s cell-phone, andinstead, Hunt answered.  The family member accused Jackson of doingsomething with Paulk.  Hunt informed Jackson of the call, but Jackson saidhe was not “worried about it because they ain’t got no body, they ain’t got nocase.”

On April 17, 2005, Paulk’s body was found in a shallow gravenear Williamson Boulevard in Daytona Beach.  There were no visible signsof injury, but the body was severely decomposed.  A forensic dentist useddental comparisons to affirm that the body was Paulk’s.  The medicalexaminer opined that the cause of death was homicidal violence of undeterminedetiology.  He was not able to determine the precise method of death, buthe ruled out drug overdose after reviewing a toxicology report.  Hunt andAllen came to the police after the body was found and provided informationregarding her disappearance. 

At trial, the jury recommended that Jackson be sentenced todeath by a vote of nine to three.

Codefendant Information:

Michael Wooten received a life sentence for the first-degreefelony murder and kidnapping that took place on November 9th, 2004. 

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 – DeathSentence

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 ofCertiorari

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 on07/02/07.  The following issues were raised: improper impeachment by theState coupled with improper argument to the jury by the prosecutor; the trialcourt erred in allowing into evidence matters that were irrelevant andprejudicial; and, the trial court erred in denying Jackson’s request for aninstruction regarding circumstantial evidence.  The Florida Supreme Courtfound all of the claims either harmless or without merit and affirmed theconviction and sentence on 09/24/09.

On 04/08/10, Jackson filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorariwith the United States Supreme Court.  This petition was denied on06/14/10.

On 04/08/11, Jackson filed a 3.851 Motion with the CircuitCourt.  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