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. 

FOTOPOULOS, Konstantinos X. (W/M)

DC#    616550

DOB: 07/26/59

­­­­Seventh Judicial Circuit, Volusia County Case # 89-7632,90-1995, 90-6668

Venue changed to Putnam County

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable S. James Foxman

Attorney, Trial: Carmen F. Corrente – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Douglas N. Duncan & Philip G.Butler, Jr. – Private

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: James L. Driscoll, Jr. –CCRC-M

Date of Offense:        10/20/89 & 11/04/89

Date of Sentence:       11/01/90

Circumstances of Offense:

During the summer of 1989, Konstantinos Fotopoulos beganhaving an extra-marital affair with a bartender, Deidre Hunt, who worked at hisbar. 

On 10/20/89, Fotopoulos and Hunt lured Kevin Ramsey to anisolated shooting range by telling him he was to be inducted into a club.Fotopoulos intended to kill Ramsey to prevent Ramsey from blackmailing him[Fotopoulos] concerning counterfeiting activities.  Fotopoulos threatenedHunt that he would kill her if she did not kill Ramsey.  Ramsey was tiedto a tree, and Hunt shot Ramsey three times in the chest and once in the headwith a .22 pistol, while Fotopoulos videotaped the shooting.  Fotopoulosstopped taping and shot Ramsey once in the head with an AK-47 assaultrifle. 

Fotopoulos then conspired to kill his wife, Lisa Fotopoulos,in order to collect $700,000 in insurance proceeds.  Fotopoulos used thevideotape of Hunt killing Ramsey in order to get Hunt’s cooperation in themurder of Lisa Fotopoulos.  Fotopoulos instructed Hunt to hire someone tokill Lisa Fotopoulos.  Hunt attempted to hire a man on two occasions, butthe plan never materialized.  A friend of Hunt’s, Lisa Henderson, led Huntto her boyfriend, Teja James, who was hired to kill Lisa Fotopoulos for$5,000.  After James botched two attempts to kill Lisa Fotopoulos, BryanChase was hired to kill Lisa.  After several unsuccessful attempts, Chasewent to the Fotopoulos home on 11/04/89 and shot Lisa Fotopoulos once in thehead, but the wound was not fatal.  Fotopoulos then shot Chase repeatedly,to make the murder attempt appear to be a failed burglary.  In a search ofthe Fotopoulos home by police, the Ramsey murder videotape, a .22 pistol, andan

AK-47 assault rifle were found. 

 Codefendant Information:

Deidre Hunt was indicted for the same crimes as Fotopoulos,but pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced to death for the murders ofRamsey and Chase.  On appeal, however, her convictions were affirmed buther death sentences were vacated.  Before her retrial, Hunt was allowed towithdraw her guilty verdict and proceed to trial.  The jury returnedguilty verdicts on all charges.  On 05/07/98, Hunt was sentenced to twoterms of life imprisonment. 

Teja James testified for the state and, on 07/21/97, wassentenced to 12 years imprisonment for Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murderand Attempted First-Degree Murder.  He was released on 09/17/01.

Additional Information:

In June of 1990, Fotopoulos pled guilty to six federalcounterfeiting charges, which were committed from 1987 – 1989. 

Trial Summary:

12/06/89         Indicted as follows (89-7632):

CountI           First-Degree Murder (Ramsey)

CountII          First-Degree Murder(Chase)

CountIII         Conspiracy to CommitFirst-Degree Murder *

CountV          Solicitation to CommitFirst-Degree Murder *

03/12/90         Information presented as follows (90-1995):

                                   Count I            ArmedBurglary

                                   Count II          AttemptedFirst-Degree Murder (Lisa Fotopoulos)

                                   Count III         Solicitation toCommit First-Degree Murder **

07/17/90         Trial venue changed to Putnam County

10/08/90         Information presented as follows (90-6668):

                                   Count I           Attempted First-Degree Murder (Lisa Fotopoulos)

10/25/90         Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts

10/29/90         Jury recommended death by two votes of 8-4

11/01/90         Sentenced as follows (89-7632):

                                   Count I           First-Degree Murder – Death

                                   Count II          First-DegreeMurder – Death

                                   Count III         Conspiracy to CommitFirst-Degree Murder –

 LifeImprisonment

                                   Count IV         Nolle prossed by theState

                                   Count V          Solicitation toCommit First-Degree Murder –

 LifeImprisonment

                       Sentenced as follows (90-1995):

                                   Counts I-III    Attempted First-Degree Murder –

Life Imprisonment

                       Sentenced as follows: (90-6668):

                                   Count I           Attempted First-Degree Murder –

 LifeImprisonment     

* - Fotopoulos and Hunt conspired with and solicited TejaJames to murder Lisa

Fotopoulos. 

** - Fotopoulos and Hunt solicited Bryan Chase to murderLisa Fotopoulos. 

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 77,016

608 So.2d 784

12/03/90         Appeal filed

10/15/92         FSC affirmed convictions and sentences

12/24/92         Rehearing denied

01/25/93         Mandate issued

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

USSC# 92-8123

508 U.S. 924

03/23/93         Petition filed

05/17/93         USSC denied Petition

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 89-7632, 90-1995, 90-6668

02/28/95         Motion filed

08/09/96         Pro Se Motion filed

09/11/96         Pro Se Motion adopted and motion refiled

09/27/96         Amended Motion filed

05/16/97         Circuit Court denied motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 91,227

741 So.2d 1135

08/04/97         Appeal filed

08/25/99         Dismissed without prejudice to allow Huff hearing to be held in the

 Circuit Court

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion (on remand)

CC# 89-7632, 90-1995, 90-6668

03/06/00         Huff hearing held

06/15/00         Circuit Court denied Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 00-1511

838 So.2d1122                                              

07/20/00         Appeal filed

12/19/02         FSC affirmed denial of 3.850 Motion

02/14/03         Rehearing denied

03/17/03         Mandate issued

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus

FSC# 01-2824

838 So.2d 1122

12/21/01         Petition filed

12/19/02         FSC denied Petition

02/14/03         Rehearing denied

03/17/03         Mandate issued

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

USDC# 03-1578

11/04/03         Petition filed

04/29/04         Petition amended

01/29/07         Petition granted and denied in part and remanded for resentencing

03/13/07         Certificate of Appealability filed

07/23/07         COA denied

United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit—HabeasAppeal (filed by State)

USCA# 07-11105

516 F.3d 1229

03/13/07         Appeal filed

04/22/08         District court judgment reversed

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

USSC# 08-5163

129 S. Ct 217

07/02/08         Petition filed

10/06/08         Petition denied

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

The 3.850 Motion was pending from 02/28/95 – 06/15/00 andthe federal Habeas was pending from 11/04/03 – 01/29/07.

Case Information:

Fotopoulos filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida SupremeCourt on 12/03/90, citing sixteen errors, many of which focused on inclusion ofcertain testimonial evidence and aggravating circumstances used in the penaltyphase of trial.  On 10/15/92, the FSC affirmed the convictions andsentences. 

Fotopoulos filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with theU.S. Supreme Court on 03/23/93 that was denied on 05/17/93.

Fotopoulos filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on02/28/95 that was denied, without an evidentiary hearing, on 05/16/97. 

Fotopoulos filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the FloridaSupreme Court on 08/04/97, citing claims of ineffective assistance of counseland failure to grant an evidentiary hearing for his 3.850 Motion.  On08/25/99, the FSC dismissed the Appeal without prejudice to allow the CircuitCourt to hold a Huff hearing to determine if an evidentiary hearing wasnecessary.

On 03/06/00, a Huff hearing was held in the Circuit Court,and on 06/15/00, the 3.850 Motion was again denied by the Circuit Court.

Fotopoulos filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the FloridaSupreme Court on 07/20/00, citing claims of ineffective assistance ofcounsel.  On 12/19/02, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850Motion. 

Fotopoulos filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus withthe Florida Supreme Court on 12/21/01, citing claims of ineffective assistanceof counsel.  On 12/19/02, the FSC denied the Habeas Petition. 

Fotopoulos filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus withthe U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, on 11/04/03 and amendedthe Petition on 04/29/04.  On 01/29/07, the USDC granted and denied thepetition in part and ordered a resentencing.  The court found thatprosecutorial misconduct and ineffective assistance of counsel occurred duringsentencing.  On 03/13/07, Fotopoulos filed a COA, which was denied on07/23/07. 

A Habeas Appeal was filed by the State on 03/13/07 in theUnited States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit.  The court reversed thejudgment of the U.S. District Court on 04/22/08.

On 07/02/08, Fotopoulos filed a Petition for Writ ofCertiorari in the United States Supreme Court. The petition was denied on10/06/08.

Institutional Adjustment:

DATE                  DAYS                    VIOLATION                                     LOCATION      

03/04/93              0                            POSS OFCONTRABAND                UNION C. I.        

06/27/94              0                            POSS OFCONTRABAND                UNION C. I.        

03/21/95              0                            REF. SUB. ABUSETEST                 UNION C.I.        

11/28/95              0                            REF. SUB. ABUSETEST                 UNION C.I.        

12/23/95              0                            UNARMEDASSAULT                     UNION C.I.        

12/25/95              0                            POSS OFCONTRABAND                UNION C. I.        

12/28/95              0                            POSS OFCONTRABAND                UNION C. I.        

04/03/00              30                         POSS OF CONTRABAND                FLORIDA STATE PRISON

09/22/00              30                         POSS OF CONTRABAND                FLORIDA STATE PRISON

03/28/01              180                       POSS OF ESCAPE PARA.                FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/19/01              30                         POSS OF CONTRABAND                FLORIDA STATE PRISON

07/27/01              60                         POSS OF WEAPONS                         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

08/08/03              90                         SPOKEN THREATS                          FLORIDA STATE PRISON

Report Date:  09/03/03          JFL

Approved:      09/10/03          WS

Updated:        10/07/08          KLH