3/4/20 Florida Supreme Court Oral Arguments: Jonathan Huey Lawrence v. State of Florida SC18-2061

Mr. Lawrence was charged with being a principal in the May 1998 first-degree murder of 18-year-old Jennifer Robinson, who was fatally shot. He pleaded guilty, the jury voted 11-1 to recommend a death sentence, and he was condemned. This Court upheld his sentence of death on direct appeal and subsequently affirmed the denial of his initial postconviction motion and denied his petition for writ of habeas corpus. Mr. Lawrence then filed a successive postconviction motion in the trial court seeking a new penalty phase pursuant to Hurst v. State. The trial court vacated his death sentence and ordered a new penalty phase. He was sentenced to death on resentencing, and this direct appeal followed.