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Norman Mearle GRIM Jr.

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Classification: Murderer
Characteristics: Rape
Number of victims: 1
Date of murder: July 27, 1998
Date of birth: June 29, 1960
Victim profile: Cynthia Campbell (neighbor)
Method of murder: Stabbing with knife - Hitting with a hammer
Location: Santa Rosa County, Florida, USA
Status: Sentenced to death on December 21, 2000
 
 
 
 
 

Florida Supreme Court

 

opinion SC01-256

opinion SC06-122

 
 
 
 
 
 

DC#   282008
DOB:  
06/29/60

First Judicial Circuit, Santa Rosa County Case # 98-510
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Kenneth Bell
Attorney, Trial:  B.B. Boles & Spiro Kypreos – Private
Attorney, Direct Appeal: David Davis – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Jeff Hazen – Registry

Date of Offense: 07/27/98

Date of Sentence: 12/21/00

Circumstances of Offense:

On 07/27/98, at approximately 5:00 a.m., a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a disturbance call at the house of Cynthia Campbell. 

Campbell reported a disturbance behind her home, and when the deputy investigated, he found a broken window and a chrome lug nut in the bushes below the window.  Campbell’s neighbor, Norman Grim, Jr., invited her over for coffee before Deputy Lynch left. 

Two workers from Campbell’s law office went to her house later that morning and found Campbell’s car in the driveway, but no sign of Campbell in the house.  The Sheriff’s Office was called and deputies responded to the scene. 

When deputies questioned Grim about Campbell’s disappearance, they noticed that Grim’s shoulder and cut-off blue jean shorts had reddish-brown stains on them.  Grim explained that the stains were primer paint from his car.

In the afternoon of 07/27/98, two fishermen hooked a human body, later determined to be Campbell, wrapped in a sheet, shower curtain, and masking tape.

Campbell’s body had deep abrasions and contusions around her shoulders, eyes, forehead, chin, and lips, which were consistent with the blunt force trauma of a hammer.  Campbell’s body also had eleven stab wounds to the chest, which, in conjunction with the blunt force trauma, caused her death.

Earlier that afternoon, a former coworker of Grim’s spotted him in his parked car on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, with the car doors and trunk open.  Surveillance camera videotape showed Grim entering a convenience store at the foot of the bridge shortly after he was seen parked on the bridge.

Additional forensic evidence was found in Grim’s house: two damp, bloody mops in the kitchen; small areas of blood on the kitchen floor and cabinets; two bloody fingerprints on a box of trash bags; a striped pillow case with blood on it in the kitchen trash; blood spots in the dining room; a pair of blue-jean shorts with blood stains in the living room; bloody athletic shoes; and rope consistent with the rope used on Campbell’s body. 

On Grim’s back porch, further forensic evidence was found: a green carpet, which matched the carpet used to wrap Campbell’s body; a pair of prescription glasses (with Campbell’s prescription); and a cooler that contained more forensic evidence. 

In the cooler a steak knife, a piece of cloth with blood stains, a pair of men’s underwear, a tampon with blood stains, masking tape, and a blood-stained hammer were recovered.  All forensic evidence contained Campbell’s unique genetic markers.

Trial Summary:

08/26/98          Indicted as follows:

Count I            First-Degree Murder

Count II           Armed Sexual Battery

11/01/00          Jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of the indictment

11/02/00          Jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 12-0

12/21/00          Sentenced as follows:

Count I            First-Degree Murder – Death

Count II           Armed Sexual Battery – 390.5 months

Additional Information:

At the time of the murder, Grim was on parole for a 1990 Burglary conviction in Texas.

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Prior to the murder, Grim had an extensive criminal history.  The following is a summary of Grim’s Florida prison history since 1983: 
 

Offense

Offense

Sentence

Prison Sentence

09/13/1981

ROBBERY N/FIREARM OR D/WEAPON

04/14/1983

8Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY

03/16/1983

25Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY

03/16/1983

25Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

ROBBERY N/FIREARM OR D/WEAPON

03/16/1983

15Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM

03/16/1983

5Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

BURGLARY,ARMED

03/16/1983

25Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

GRAND THEFT FIREARM

03/16/1983

5Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

BURG/N/ASSLT/OCC.STRUCT.

03/16/1983

15Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY

03/16/1983

25Y 0M 0D

09/09/1982

AGG BATTERY/W/DEADLY WEAPON

03/16/1983

15Y 0M 0D



Case Information:

Grim filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 02/02/01, citing the following trial court errors: improper presentation of mitigating evidence and testimony and failure to allow the introduction of hearsay statements made by the victim prior to the murder.  On 10/03/02, the FSC affirmed the convictions and sentences, and on 03/20/03 issued a revised opinion, again affirming the convictions and sentences. 

Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 06/12/03 that was denied on 10/06/03.

Grim filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on 10/05/04.  On 04/14/05 & 09/01/05, an Evidentiary Hearing was held.  On 12/20/05, the Circuit Court denied the motion.

Grim filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 01/24/06 that is pending.

Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 08/08/06 that is pending.

Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us

 

 

 
 
 
 
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