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. 

EVANS, Steven (B/M)

DC#    330290

DOB: 07/31/67

­­­Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orange County Case # 96-5639

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Jay Paul Cohen

Attorney, Trial: Andrea Black – Private

Attorney, Direct Appeal: George D. E. Burden – AssistantPublic Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Mark Gruber & DavidHendry – CCRC-M

Date of Offense:        04/25/96

Date of Sentence:       06/07/99

Circumstances of Offense:

On 04/26/96, Steven Evans, Edward Francis, Gervalow Ward,and Kenneth Lewis drove to Sanford, Florida, to commit a home invasion robberyof a drug dealer.  The robbery was called off when Lewis abandoned theothers in the getaway car, which belonged to Evans’ girlfriend’s brother. 

Evans, Francis, and Ward then went to Mark Quinn’s house andcalled Evans’ girlfriend, telling her to call the police and report the carstolen.  Evans, Francis, Ward, Quinn, and Blaine Stafford then went toEvans’ apartment to wait for Lewis.  When Lewis arrived, the five menjumped Lewis, beat him up, and bound and gagged him.  Evans thenconstructed a homemade silencer with a shampoo bottle.   Evans,Francis, and Ward took Lewis out of the apartment and down to a culvert, wherethey pushed him down.  Evans  told Lewis that they were the lastthree people he (Lewis) would leave behind and the last three people he wouldsee.  Evans then placed the gun to Lewis’ head and shot six times, hittingLewis in the head with five of the shots.   

Codefendant Information:

Edward Francis was convicted of First-Degree Murder andKidnapping and sentenced to life imprisonment and 11 years, 11 months, and 23days, respectively.  Gervalow Ward was convicted of Kidnapping andsentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

Additional Information:

In March of 1998, prior to trial, court-appointed expertsconducted a competency and sanity evaluation of Evans.  Evans was diagnosedwith paranoid schizophrenia and determined to be incompetent to stand trial.Evans was ordered to undergo further evaluation, and he was ordered to beinvoluntarily committed on 10/14/98.  Later, after hearing testimony frommental health experts, the court determined that Evans was competent to standtrial.   

After the filing of the 3.850 Motion, Evans’ competencyagain became an issue.  On 02/14/03, a competency and discovery hearingwas held.  A Durocher hearing was held on 10/13/03 to determine Evans’competency to waive postconviction appeals.  On 10/23/03, Evans wasdetermined competent by the court. 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Prior to the murder, Evans had a 1994 Robbery conviction forwhich he was sentenced to five years, six months in prison. 

Trial Summary:

05/10/96         Indicted as follows:

                                   Count I           First-Degree Murder

                                   Count II          Kidnapping

04/09/99         Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

04/15/99         Jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 11-1

06/07/99         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I           First-Degree Murder – Death

                                   Count II          Kidnapping – 10years, 1 month, 8 days

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# SC95993

800 So.2d 182

07/12/99         Appeal filed

10/11/01         FSC affirmed convictions and sentences

12/10/01         Rehearing denied and Mandate issued

Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC# 96-5639

10/16/02         Motion filed

12/18/03         Motion amended

11/08/04         CC denied Motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.851 Motion Appeal

FSC# 05-161

975 So. 2d 1035

01/27/05         Appeal filed

11/15/07         Appeal denied

11/29/07         Motion for rehearing

12/10/07         Rehearing denied

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus

FSC# 05-1526

975 So. 2d 1035

08/26/05         Petition filed

11/15/07         Petition denied

11/29/07         Motion for rehearing

02/14/08         Rehearing denied

United States District Court, Middle District – Petitionfor Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 08-1234

(Pending)

07/25/08         Petition filed

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

The case progression appears to be within acceptable timeparameters.

Case Information:

Evans filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Courton 07/12/99, citing the following errors:  finding Evans competent tostand trial; denying Evans’ motion for mistrial after a witness referred toEvans’ prior criminal record; allowing the introduction of irrelevant andprejudicial evidence; improperly finding aggravating circumstances (cold,calculated, and premeditated murder and heinous, atrocious, or cruel murder);improperly balancing aggravating factors against mitigating factors;disproportionate use of the death penalty due to the facts of the case; and thedeath sentence is based on a split jury vote (11-1) and is unconstitutionalunder the U.S. Constitution.  The FSC affirmed the convictions andsentences on 10/11/01.

Evans filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on10/16/02 and amended the Motion on 12/18/03.  The Circuit Court denied the3.851 Motion on 11/08/04.

Evans filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida SupremeCourt on 01/27/05 that was denied on 11/15/07. 

Evans filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with theFlorida Supreme Court on 08/26/05 that was denied on 11/15/07.

Evans filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with theUnited States District Court on 07/25/08 that is currently pending.

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      

09/15/94         60        DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS                   LIBERTY C.I.       

09/15/94         30        POSS OF UNAUTHCLOTH              LIBERTY C.I.       

07/21/95         30        OBSCENEPROFANE ACT                CENTRAL OFFICE     

10/21/95         600      ESCAPE ORATTEMPT                     COCOA W. R. C.     

12/19/96         0         DISORDERLYCONDUCT                BAKER C. I.        

07/18/99         40        DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS                   FLORIDA STATE PRISON

08/22/99         0         DISOBEYINGORDER                      FLORIDA STATE PRISON

02/07/02         0         DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS                   UNION C. I.        

10/02/02         90        SPOKENTHREATS                                      UNION C. I.        

02/03/03         34        UNARMEDASSAULT                      UNION C. I.        

03/09/03         0         DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS                   UNION C.I.        

03/10/03         0          UNARMEDASSAULT                      UNION C.I.        

08/22/04         40        DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS                   UNION C. I.

04/01/05         0          POSS OFCONTRABAND                 UNION C.I.

_______________________________________________________________________

Report Date:  05/15/03          JFL

Approved:      06/10/03          WS

Updated:        08/13/08          KLH