On
3/27/00, Lawrence filed a Direct Appeal
to the Florida Supreme Court. There were numerous issues raised.
First, Lawrence claimed the trial court failed to appoint medical
experts and order an evidentiary competency hearing regarding his
current mental and psychological disturbances, which were of a serious
nature.
Second, Lawrence contended that the trial court erred again by
excluding Rodgers’ criminal history, as Lawrence claimed that he acted
under extreme duress through his involvement with Rodgers.
Third,
Lawrence argued that the trial court erroneously discovered the cold,
calculated, and premeditated aggravator (CCP), indicating that Lawrence
had a prearranged plan to kill Robinson.
Fourth, Lawrence claimed that
the trial court committed reversible error by including non-recorded
facts on the CCP findings and by ambiguously assigning weight to the
mitigator.
Fifth, Lawrence raised the constitutionality of the death
sentence, indicating that it violated Florida, federal, and
international law. Sixth, Lawrence claimed the trial court erred in
denying his motion for a mistrial, as a result of the trial court
committing reversible error by overruling Lawrence’s objections to the
investigator’s opinion on Lawrence’s alter ego.
Finally, Lawrence
claimed that his sentence was disproportionate to the circumstances of
the crime in that there were more mitigating than aggravated
circumstances. Because the sentencing order of this case found
extensive aggravating circumstances and substantial mitigating
circumstances, the Court believed the trial judge properly weighed these
circumstances in delivering his death sentence. Thus, the Court upheld
his death sentence on 03/20/03.
On
07/15/03, Lawrence filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United
States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/14/03.
On
9/10/04, Lawrence filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court. The Motion
was amended on 02/11/05, and was denied on 01/26/06.
