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. 

GERALDS, Mark (W/M)

DC#    729185           

DOB:   03/29/67

Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Bay County Case # 89-0495

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Don T. Sirmons

Attorney, Trial: Robert T. Adams, Jr. – Assistant PublicDefender  

Attorney, Direct Appeal:  W.C. McLain – AssistantPublic Defender  

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Linda McDermott – Registry

Date of Offense:          02/01/89

Date of Sentence:        03/26/90

Date of Resentence:      04/13/93

Circumstances of Offense:

On 02/01/89, the eight-year-old son of Tressaand Kevin Pettibone found his mother beaten andstabbed to death on the kitchen floor.  Tressa Pettibone had two stab wounds on the right side of her neckand one fatal stab wound on the left side.  These stab wounds wereconsistent with a knife found in the kitchen sink.  The medical examineralso found a number of bruises and abrasions on the head, face, chest, and abdomenof the victim that were caused by some form of blunt trauma.  According tothe medical examiner, the victim’s wrists had been bound with a plastic tie forat least twenty minutes prior to her death.  A number of items weremissing from the home, including the victim’s car. 

Geralds was a carpenter who hadhelped remodel the Pettibone’s home prior to themurder.  Circumstantial evidence connected Geraldsto the crime:  Geralds knew that Kevin Pettibone was out of town at the time of the crime and Geralds separately asked Tressa Pettibone and the children when Mr. Pettibonewould be returning; Geralds pawned jewelry from the Pettibone home that had traces of blood that wereconsistent with Tressa Pettibone’sblood type, but inconsistent with Geralds’ bloodtype; Geralds gave the victim’s sunglasses to afriend; Geralds’ shoes were consistent with the shoesused to make tracks on the floor of the Pettibone’shome; and plastic ties used to bind the victim matched ties found in Geralds’ car. 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Geralds had an extensive criminalrecord at the time of the offense.  The following is Geralds’current and prior prison history, covering periods of incarceration with theFlorida Department of Corrections since January 1983.

Trial Summary:

03/15/89         Indicted as follows:

                                   CountI            First-Degree Murder

                                   CountII           Armed Robbery

                                   Count III         Burglary

                                   Count IV         Grand Theft Auto

04/06/89         Stood mute at plea.  Court entered a plea of not guilty.

02/07/90         Verdict of guilty returned by the jury, and jury recommended death

 sentence by a vote of 8-4.

03/26/90         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I            First-DegreeMurder – Death

                                   Count II          Armed Robbery – LifeImprisonment

                                   Count III          Burglary – LifeImprisonment

                                   Count IV         Grand Theft Auto – 30 years

04/30/92         FSC vacated death sentence

03/26/93         Jury recommended death sentence by a 12-0 vote.

04/13/93         Resentenced to death.

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 75,938

601 So. 2d 1157

04/30/90         Direct Appeal filed

04/30/92         FSC affirmed conviction, but vacated death sentence

08/17/92         Rehearing denied

09/16/92         Mandate issued

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal (afterresentencing)

FSC# 81,738

674 So. 2d 96

05/10/93         Direct Appeal filed

02/22/96         FSC affirmed death sentence

05/20/96         Rehearing denied

06/19/96         Mandate issued

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

USSC# 96-5309

519 U.S. 891

07/24/96         Petition filed

10/07/96         USSC denied Petition

Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 89-0495

09/22/97         Motion filed

08/31/01         Motion amended

01/28/02         Motion amended

01/18/06         CC denied motion

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Motion Appeal

FSC# 06-761

04/24/06         Appeal filed

09/16/10            FSC affirmed decision of lower court

10/01/10            Motion for rehearing

Florida Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of HabeasCorpus

FSC# 07-716

04/17/07         Petition filed

09/16/10            Petition denied

10/01/10            Motion for rehearing

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

USSC# 09-9453

12/08/09          Petitionfiled

06/21/10          Petitiondenied

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

The 3.850 motion was pending from 09/22/97 – 01/18/06.

Case Information:

Geralds filed a Direct Appeal withthe Florida Supreme Court on 04/30/90, citing multiple issues at both the guiltphase and penalty phase of trial: improper denial of two defense challenges forcause, error in denying defendant’s motion for a change of venue, error indenying defense counsel access to field notes used to refresh a state witness’memory, and improper references to the defendant’s prior criminal record. On04/30/92, the FSC affirmed the conviction, but vacated Gerald’s deathsentence. 

On 03/26/93, a new jury recommended the death sentence by avote of 12-0, and on 04/13/93, Geralds wasresentenced to death.

Geralds filed a Petition for Writof Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 07/24/96 that was denied on10/07/96.

Geralds filed a 3.850 Motion withthe Circuit Court on 09/22/97 and amended the Motion on 08/31/01 and01/28/02.  On 01/18/06, the Circuit Court denied the motion.

Geralds filed a 3.850 MotionAppeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 04/24/06. The FSC affirmed thedecision of the lower court on 09/16/10. Geraldsfiled a motion for rehearing on 10/01/10. That motion is pending.

Geralds filed a Petition for Writ ofHabeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 04/17/07, and it was denied on09/16/10. Geralds filed a motion for rehearing on10/01/10. That motion is pending.

Geralds filed a Petition for Writof Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 12/08/09 that was denied on06/21/10.

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      

01/30/92     0               LYINGTOSTAFF                  FLORIDA STATE PRISON

03/30/92    15              DISRESP.TOOFFICIALS         FLORIDA STATE PRISON

02/07/94      0               POSSOF ESCAPE PARA.       UNION C. I.        

02/10/94      0              FIGHTING                              UNION C. I.        

06/21/94     0              PART.INRIOTS                     UNION C. I.        

07/31/94     0               SPOKENTHREATS                           UNION C.I.        

06/06/96     0               SEXACTS                              UNION C.I.-MED.FAC.

10/28/97      0              FIGHTING                              UNION C. I.        

11/28/00      0              DISORDERLY CONDUCT                UNION C. I.   

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date:    07/30/01          JFL

Approved:       10/16/01          WS

Updated:         04/13/11          JJK