Norman Mearle Grim

Case details

Norman Mearle Grim was indicted in First Judicial Circuit, Santa Rosa County, under Case # 98-510.

Timeline

• 07/27/98 — A Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a disturbance call at the house of Cynthia Campbell; Campbell reported a disturbance behind her home, and the deputy found a broken window and a chrome lug nut in the bushes below the window.
• 07/27/98 — Norman Grim, Jr. invited Cynthia Campbell over for coffee before Deputy Lynch left; two workers from Campbell’s law office later that morning found Campbell’s car in the driveway but no sign of Campbell in the house.
• 07/27/98 — Deputies questioned Grim about Campbell’s disappearance and noticed Grim’s shoulder and cut-off blue jean shorts had reddish-brown stains; Grim explained the stains were primer paint from his car.
• 07/27/98 — In the afternoon, two fishermen hooked a human body later determined to be Campbell, wrapped in a sheet, shower curtain, and masking tape; Campbell’s body had deep abrasions and contusions around her shoulders, eyes, forehead, chin, and lips consistent with blunt force trauma of a hammer, and had eleven stab wounds to the chest that, in conjunction with the blunt force trauma, caused her death.
• 07/27/98 — Earlier that afternoon, a former coworker of Grim’s spotted him in his parked car on the Pensacola Bay Bridge with the car doors and trunk open.
• 07/27/98 — Surveillance camera videotape showed Grim entering a convenience store at the foot of the bridge shortly after he was seen parked on the bridge.
• 08/26/98 — Trial date shown for the indictment: Grim was indicted for Count I First-Degree Murder and Count II Armed Sexual Battery.
• 11/01/00 — Jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of the indictment.
• 11/02/00 — The jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 12-0.
• 12/21/00 — Grim was sentenced: Count I First-Degree Murder — Death; Count II Armed Sexual Battery — 390.5 months.
• 02/02/01 — Grim filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court.
• 10/03/02 — The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences.
• 03/20/03 — The Florida Supreme Court issued a revised opinion again affirming the convictions and sentences.
• 06/12/03 — Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court.
• 10/06/03 — The U.S. Supreme Court denied the petition.
• 10/05/04 — Grim filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court.
• 04/14/05 — An Evidentiary Hearing was held.
• 09/01/05 — An Evidentiary Hearing was held.
• 12/20/05 — The Circuit Court denied the 3.851 motion.
• 01/24/06 — Grim filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court, pending.
• 08/08/06 — Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court, pending.

The offence

On 07/27/98, a Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a disturbance call at the house of Cynthia Campbell. Campbell reported a disturbance behind her home. When the deputy investigated, he found a broken window and a chrome lug nut in the bushes below the window.

Campbell’s neighbor, Norman Grim, Jr., invited her over for coffee before Deputy Lynch left. Two workers from Campbell’s law office went to Campbell’s house later that morning and found Campbell’s car in the driveway, but no sign of Campbell in the house. The Sheriff’s Office was called and deputies responded to the scene.

When deputies questioned Grim about Campbell’s disappearance, they noticed that Grim’s shoulder and cut-off blue jean shorts had reddish-brown stains on them. Grim explained that the stains were primer paint from his car.

In the afternoon of 07/27/98, two fishermen hooked a human body, later determined to be Campbell. The body was wrapped in a sheet, shower curtain, and masking tape. Campbell’s body had deep abrasions and contusions around her shoulders, eyes, forehead, chin, and lips, consistent with the blunt force trauma of a hammer. Campbell’s body also had eleven stab wounds to the chest, which, in conjunction with the blunt force trauma, caused her death.

Earlier that afternoon, a former coworker of Grim’s spotted him in his parked car on the Pensacola Bay Bridge, with the car doors and trunk open. Surveillance camera videotape showed Grim entering a convenience store at the foot of the bridge shortly after he was seen parked on the bridge.

Investigation and forensic evidence

Additional forensic evidence was found in Grim’s house: two damp, bloody mops in the kitchen; small areas of blood on the kitchen floor and cabinets; two bloody fingerprints on a box of trash bags; a striped pillow case with blood on it in the kitchen trash; blood spots in the dining room; a pair of blue-jean shorts with blood stains in the living room; bloody athletic shoes; and rope consistent with the rope used on Campbell’s body.

On Grim’s back porch, further forensic evidence was found: a green carpet, which matched the carpet used to wrap Campbell’s body; a pair of prescription glasses (with Campbell’s prescription); and a cooler that contained more forensic evidence. In the cooler, a steak knife, a piece of cloth with blood stains, a pair of men’s underwear, a tampon with blood stains, masking tape, and a blood-stained hammer were recovered.

All forensic evidence contained Campbell’s unique genetic markers.

Trial

Grim was indicted as follows:

• Count I — First-Degree Murder
• Count II — Armed Sexual Battery

On 11/01/00, the jury returned guilty verdicts on both counts of the indictment. On 11/02/00, the jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 12-0.

Sentencing

On 12/21/00, the court sentenced Grim as follows:

• Count I — First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II — Armed Sexual Battery — 390.5 months

Appeals

Grim filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 02/02/01, citing improper presentation of mitigating evidence and testimony, and failure to allow the introduction of hearsay statements made by the victim prior to the murder.

On 10/03/02, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentences. On 03/20/03, the Florida Supreme Court issued a revised opinion, again affirming the convictions and sentences.

Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court on 06/12/03; it was denied on 10/06/03.

Grim filed a 3.851 Motion with the Circuit Court on 10/05/04. Evidentiary Hearing was held on 04/14/05 and 09/01/05. On 12/20/05, the Circuit Court denied the motion.

Grim filed a 3.851 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 01/24/06 that was pending. Grim filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida Supreme Court on 08/08/06 that was pending.

Other details

At the time of the murder, Grim was on parole for a 1990 Burglary conviction in Texas.

Prior incarceration history in the State of Florida since 1983 is listed as follows:

• 09/13/1981 — RO BBERY N/FIREARM OR D/WEAPON — 04/14/1983 — 8Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY — 03/16/1983 — 25Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — ROBBERY N/FIREARM OR D/WEAPON — 03/16/1983 — 15Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM — 03/16/1983 — 5Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — BURGLARY,ARMED — 03/16/1983 — 25Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — GRAND THEFT FIREARM — 03/16/1983 — 5Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — BURG/N/ASSLT/OCC.STRUCT. — 03/16/1983 — 15Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — BURG/DWELL/OCCUP.CONVEY — 03/16/1983 — 25Y 0M 0D
• 09/09/1982 — AGG BATTERY/W/DEADLY WEAPON — 03/16/1983 — 15Y 0M 0D

Grim’s date of birth was 06/29/60. The case number listed was DC# 282008. The sentencing judge was The Honorable Kenneth Bell.

Trial attorney names listed were B.B. Boles and Spiro Kypreos (Private Attorney). Direct appeal attorney listed was David Davis (Assistant Public Defender Attorney). Collateral appeals attorney listed was Jeff Hazen (Registry). The Florida Supreme Court opinion identifiers listed were SC01-256 and SC06-122.