Maurice Lamar Floyd

Case information

Maurice Lamar Floyd was born on 11/29/76. He was tried in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, Putnam County, Florida, under Case # 98-1315. The sentencing judge was The Honorable William Parsons. The trial attorney was Douglas R. Withee – Assistant Public Defender. The direct appeal attorney was Christopher Quarles – Assistant Public Defender. The collateral appeals were Eric Pinkard & James Driscoll – CCRC-M.

Timeline

• 07/13/98 — Date of offense.
• 07/11/98 — On the evening of this date, Trelane Floyd and several of her cousins went to a supper club to celebrate her birthday; Maurice Floyd followed her, observed her drinking and dancing, and previously expressed disapproval of her alcohol consumption.
• 07/12/98 — Around 5:00 a.m., Trelane Floyd returned home; Maurice informed her he would not allow her to sleep, increased the volume on the televisions and radio, and threatened to kill her or someone she loved as reprisal for her drinking or if she ever attempted to run or hide from him; later, Trelane felt a gun being placed beside her head and Floyd pulled the trigger three times but the weapon did not fire.
• 07/13/98 — Trelane and Maurice Floyd had a heated argument on a street near their apartment; Trelane attempted to flee to the sheriff’s office; Maurice rammed his car into Trelane’s car; after a high-speed chase, Trelane arrived at the sheriff’s office; Deputy Dean Kelly responded; Maurice fled the scene before handcuffs could be placed on him; later that day, Maurice went to the house of Mary Goss, and witnesses saw Maurice and Ms. Goss arguing through a door that Maurice had kicked in; Ms. Goss ran outside onto the porch and Maurice fired three shots at her with a .357 caliber pistol, striking her once in the face and killing her instantly.
• 08/05/98 — Floyd was indicted: Count I First-Degree Murder; Count II Armed Burglary; Count III Aggravated Assault.
• 04/07/99 — Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment.
• 04/08/99 — Jury recommended death by a vote of 11-1.
• 05/26/99 — Sentenced to death; also sentenced to three five year terms for one count of Burglary (Case # 95-1456) and two counts of Accessory After the Fact (Case # 95-2062).
• 06/18/99 — Floyd filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court citing errors related to evidence admission and presentation, aggravating circumstances, and the proportionality of the death penalty.
• 08/22/02 — Florida Supreme Court affirmed the First-Degree Murder and Assault convictions and sentences, but reversed the Armed Burglary conviction.
• 09/09/03 — Floyd filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court.
• 01/12/04 — U.S. Supreme Court denied the Petition for Writ of Certiorari.
• 01/10/05 — Floyd filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court.
• 01/24/05 — Floyd amended the 3.851 Motion.
• 11/28/05 & 01/09/06 — An Evidentiary Hearing was held on the 3.851 Motion; the motion remained pending.

Background

On the evening of 07/11/98, Trelane Floyd and several of her cousins went to a supper club to celebrate her birthday. Her husband, Maurice Floyd, followed her and observed her drinking and dancing. Prior to this occasion, Maurice Floyd expressed his disapproval of Trelane Floyd’s alcohol consumption.

When Trelane returned home around 5:00 a.m. on the morning of July 12 th, Maurice informed her that he would not allow her to sleep and increased the volume on the televisions and radio in their apartment. He also threatened to kill her or someone she loved as reprisal for her drinking or if she ever attempted to run or hide from him.

Later that day, Trelane felt a gun being placed beside her head as she was lying in bed. Floyd pulled the trigger three times, but the weapon did not fire.

On July 13 th, Trelane and Maurice Floyd had a heated argument on a street near their apartment.

The offence

Trelane attempted to flee to the sheriff’s office, but Maurice rammed his car into Trelane’s car. After a high-speed chase, Trelane arrived at the sheriff’s office. Trelane exited the car, screamed for help, and Deputy Dean Kelly responded from his desk in the office.

Trelane was explaining her situation to Deputy Kelly when Maurice began rapidly approaching Trelane on foot. Deputy Kelly prevented Maurice from approaching further and advised him that he would be placed in investigative custody until the situation could be resolved. Maurice extended his hands into the air and backed up to Deputy Kelly, but Maurice fled the scene before the deputy could place the handcuffs on Maurice.

After giving a statement to sheriff’s office personnel, Trelane called her mother, Mary Goss, to inform her of the fight and confrontation with Maurice. Ms. Goss told Trelane that her three children were at her home and that she would not allow Maurice to get them.

At some point during the evening of July 13 th, Maurice went to the house of Ms. Goss. Ms. Goss told Trelane’s children to run to a neighbor’s house. Several witnesses, including the children, saw Maurice and Ms. Goss arguing through the door that Maurice had kicked in and saw her run outside onto the porch. Maurice fired three shots at Ms. Goss with a .357 caliber pistol, striking her once in the face, killing her instantly.

Floyd confessed to the murder of Mary Goss to a friend, Tashoni Lamb. Floyd told her, “I just shot Miss Mary [Goss], the grandmother,” and he explained that he shot her because “she had threatened to call the police.”

Investigation / arrest

After the high-speed chase, Trelane arrived at the sheriff’s office and Deputy Dean Kelly responded from his desk. Deputy Kelly prevented Maurice from approaching further and advised him he would be placed in investigative custody until the situation could be resolved. Maurice fled the scene before Deputy Kelly could place the handcuffs on Maurice.

Trial

Floyd was indicted as follows on 08/05/98:

• Count I First-Degree Murder
• Count II Armed Burglary
• Count III Aggravated Assault

On 04/07/99, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment. On 04/08/99, the jury recommended death by a vote of 11-1.

Sentencing

On 05/26/99, Floyd was sentenced:

• Count I First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II Armed Burglary — 30 years
• Count III Aggravated Assault — 5 years

Additionally, On 05/26/99, Floyd was sentenced to three five year terms for one count of Burglary (Case # 95-1456) and two counts of Accessory After the Fact (Case # 95-2062).

Appeals

Floyd filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 06/18/99, citing errors related to evidence admission and presentation, aggravating circumstances, and the proportionality of the death penalty.

On 08/22/02, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the First-Degree Murder and Assault convictions and sentences, but reversed the Armed Burglary conviction.

Floyd filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 09/09/03 that was denied on 01/12/04.

Floyd filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on 01/10/05 and amended the motion on 01/24/05. An evidentiary hearing was held on 11/28/05 & 01/09/06, and the motion remained pending.

Other details

Floyd confessed to friend Tashoni Lamb regarding the murder of Mary Goss and gave the reason that “she had threatened to call the police.”