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Twelfth Judicial
Circuit, Sarasota County Case, Case 88 - 3199
Sentencing Judge, Trial:
The Honorable Andrew Owens
Attorney, Trial: Tobey
Hockett – Assistant Public Defender
Attorneys, Direct
Appeal: Stephen Krosschell & Robert F. Moeller – Assistant
Public Defenders
Attorney, Collateral
Appeals: Mark Gruber & David Hendry – CCRC-M
Date of Offense:
10/04/88
Date of Sentence:
06/28/91
Circumstances of
Offense:
The police discovered
the body of 73-year-old Iris White on October 4, 1988. The
victim was found undressed from the waist down. She was stabbed
24 times and the back of her head showed evidence of blunt
trauma. The fatal stab wounds penetrated her heart and lungs.
There were also non-fatal wounds near the genital area. White’s
body displayed evidence of defensive wounds.
At the crime scene,
police discovered an open living room window and a screen that
had been cut open. Emanuel Johnson’s fingerprints were found on
that windowsill. Two pubic hairs were recovered from the
scene.
These pubic hairs bore the same characteristics as
Johnson’s under a microscope, but an expert testified that a
perfect match was not possible to obtain. Several years prior
to the murder, Johnson had been hired by White to work on her
yard.
Johnson was interrogated
on October 12, 1988. During this session, the police obtained a
taped confession. In this confession, Johnson said that he went
to White’s house to discuss lawn maintenance. When White opened
the door, Johnson seized her and strangled her until she was
unconscious. Johnson then stabbed White numerous times.
Johnson left the residence through the front door, locking
himself out in the process. He realized once he was locked out
that he had neglected to steal White’s wallet.
Approximately 20
minutes elapsed before he cut the screen and entered the house
through the living room window. Johnson stated that he
discarded the wallet in a specific area. A road surveyor
stumbled upon the wallet at same location that Johnson said he
left it.
Trial Summary:
11/04/88
Indicted with the following:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
05/24/91
Defendant was found guilty of First-Degree Murder
05/30/91 The
jury recommended Death by a vote of 8-4
06/28/91
Defendant was sentenced as follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder –
Death
**Note – defendant
was also charged and convicted of Armed Burglary and sentenced
to life in prison
(Case # 88-3198)
Additional
Information:
The defendant was
also indicted on 11/04/88 for the First-Degree Murder and Armed
Burglary of Jackie McCahon. On 06/28/91, the defendant was
sentenced to Death and Life in prison, respectively, for his
crimes.
Prior Incarceration
History in the State of Florida:
Offense Date
Offense
Sentence Date
Case No.
Prison
Sentence
01/17/1988
1st Deg Murder
(Attempted)
06/28/1991
88-3202
Life sentence
01/17/1988
Armed Burglary
06/28/1991
88-3202
Life sentence
01/17/1988
Robbery w/ a
Deadly Weapon
06/28/1991
88-3202
Life sentence
05/28/1988
Burglary
06/28/1991
88-3246
15Y 0M 0D
05/28/1988
Robbery with a
Deadly Weapon
06/28/1991
88-3246
15Y 0M 0D
Case Information:
A Direct Appeal
was filed with the Florida Supreme Court on 07/29/91. Issues
that were raised included whether the defendant’s confession was
involuntary and whether the trial court erred in allowing the
confession to be admitted as evidence. The Florida Supreme
Court found all of the claims either harmless or without error
and affirmed the conviction and sentence of Death on 07/13/95.
A Petition for a
Writ of Certiorari was filed with the United States Supreme
Court on 02/21/96 and was denied on 04/22/96.
A 3.850 Motion was
filed with the State Circuit Court on 03/24/97 and was amended
on 09/15/03 and 12/23/03. The Motion is currently pending.
FloridaCapitalCases.state.fl.us
SEX: M
RACE: B TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE
MO: Killed burglary/holdup
victims.
DISPOSITION: Condemned on two
counts, 1991; five life terms + 30 years on lesser charges.
