Michael Coleman

Case information

Name: Michael Coleman Date of birth: 07/24/61 Jurisdiction: First Judicial Circuit, Escambia County, Florida Case number: 89-01139 Florida Supreme Court opinion: 74944 DC number: 067457 Sentencing judge: The Honorable Nickolas P. Geeker Trial attorney: Ted A. Stokes – Private Attorney Direct appeal: Ted A. Stokes – Private Attorney Collateral appeals: Harry Brody – Registry

Timeline

• 09/19/88 — Date of offense
• 02/14/89 — Pensacola Sheriff’s Department arrested Coleman
• 02/28/89 — Defendant indicted
• 05/23/89 — Amended indictment filed charging multiple counts
• 06/01/89 — Defendant found guilty on all counts
• 06/02/89 — Advisory sentencing: the jury, by a 6 to 6 count, voted for life imprisonment
• 09/29/89 — Judge Geeker overrode the jury’s recommendation of life; Coleman sentenced to death on four counts and additional terms on other counts
• 10/30/89 — Coleman filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court
• 12/24/02 — Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of death
• 10/12/93 — Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court denied
• 03/24/97 — Coleman filed a 3.850 Motion
• 07/16/04 — 3.850 Motion denied
• 08/02/04 — Coleman filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court (pending)
• 04/21/05 — Coleman filed a 3.851 Motion (pending)
• 01/21/92 — Coleman sentenced to 15 years for an Aggravated Battery that occurred while incarcerated in the Florida prison system for the aforementioned quadruple homicide

Background

Pensacola members of the “Miami Boys,” a statewide drug organization, placed a safe containing drugs and money in the home of Michael McCormick. Michael McCormick’s neighbors, Derrick Hill and Morris Douglas, stole the safe. To keep the location of the stolen goods unknown, Hill and Douglas then gave the drugs and money to Darlene Crenshaw.

The offence

On 09/19/88, Michael Coleman, Timothy Robinson, Bruce Frazier, and Michael McCormick, members of the “Miami Boys,” busted into Hill and Douglas’ apartment in search of the stolen goods. Darlene Crenshaw and Amanda Merrell were also in the apartment visiting Hill and Douglas. Coleman and his associates forced all the apartment’s inhabitants to completely strip, after which he tied them up with electrical cord.

Darrell Frazier then arrived with Mildred Baker, McCormick’s girlfriend. Robinson ordered the captives to relinquish the stolen drugs. When no one spoke up, Robinson began stabbing Hill. Crenshaw stated that she could take them to the drugs and left with Bruce and Darrell Frazier. Coleman and Robinson then raped both Merrell and Baker. After showing the Fraziers to the drugs and money, Crenshaw escaped.

When the Fraziers returned to Hill and Douglas’ apartment, Coleman and Robinson slashed and shot their five captives, including McCormick, and then all four men left. Merrell survived the attack and summoned police despite being shot in the head and having her throat slashed. The other four prisoners died at the scene.

Merrell and Crenshaw were able to identify Coleman from photographs, which aided authorities in their search for the defendant.

Investigation

Merrell and Crenshaw identified Coleman from photographs, aiding authorities in their search for the defendant.

Arrest

The Pensacola Sheriff’s Department arrested Coleman on 02/14/89.

Trial

Charges (amended indictment)

On 05/23/89, an amended indictment was filed charging:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: First-Degree Murder
• Count III: First-Degree Murder
• Count IV: First-Degree Murder
• Count V: Attempted Murder
• Count VI: Armed Kidnapping
• Count VII: Armed Kidnapping
• Count VIII: Armed Kidnapping
• Count IX: Armed Kidnapping
• Count X: Armed Kidnapping
• Count XI: Armed Kidnapping
• Count XII: Armed Sexual Battery
• Count XIII: Armed Sexual Battery
• Count XIV: Conspiracy to Traffic
• Count XV: Armed Burglary
• Count XVI: Armed Robbery
• Count XVII: Armed Robbery

Verdict

On 06/01/89, the defendant was found guilty on all counts.

Advisory sentencing

On 06/02/89, upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 6 to 6 count, voted for life imprisonment.

Sentencing

On 09/29/89, Judge Geeker overrode the jury’s recommendation of life and the defendant was sentenced as followed:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count III: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count IV: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count V: Attempted Murder — 30 Years
• Count VI: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count VII: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count VIII: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count IX: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count X: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count XI: Armed Kidnapping — Life
• Count XII: Armed Sexual Battery — Life
• Count XIII: Armed Sexual Battery — Life
• Count XIV: Conspiracy to Traffic — 30 Years
• Count XV: Armed Burglary — Life
• Count XVI: Armed Robbery — Life
• Count XVII: Armed Robbery — Life

Aggravated Battery while incarcerated

On 01/21/92, Michael Coleman was sentenced to 15 years for an Aggravated Battery that occurred while he was incarcerated in the Florida prison system for the aforementioned quadruple homicide.

Appeals

Direct appeal

Coleman filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 10/30/89. In that appeal, he argued that the trial court erred in not severing his trial from those of his co-defendants, in refusing to have a requested portion of the record regarding DNA evidence read back to the jury, and in denying his motion to suppress the testimony of certain witnesses. Coleman also contended that the sentencing judge erred in overriding the jury’s recommendation of life.

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of death on 12/24/02.

United States Supreme Court

Coleman then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/12/93.

Post-conviction motions

Coleman next filed a 3.850 Motion on 03/24/97 that was denied on 07/16/04. Coleman filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 08/02/04 that is pending. Coleman filed a 3.851 Motion on 04/21/05 that is pending.

Outcome

Coleman was sentenced to death on September 29, 1989.

Other details

Codefendant information

• Timothy Robinson: sentenced to death for his part in the murders on 09/26/89. Robinson was convicted of First-Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Sexual Battery, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary and Conspiracy to Traffic.
• Bruce Frazier: convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Attempted Murder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, and Conspiracy to Traffic. Frazier was sentenced to 30 years for Trafficking and 50 years for each of the other convictions.
• Darrell Frazier: convicted and sentenced to life for First-Degree Murder, Second-Degree Murder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, and Armed Burglary. He was sentenced to 30 years for Second-Degree Murder and Conspiracy to Traffic.