Jonathan Huey Lawrence

Case record: Jonathan Huey Lawrence

Identity and case references

Jonathan Huey Lawrence was born 04/12/75. His case references included DC# 898522 and First Judicial Circuit, Santa Rosa County (Case# 98-270). The sentencing judge was The Honorable Paul A. Rasmussen.

Legal representation and appeal counsel

The trial attorney was Antoinette M. Stitt – Assistant Public Defender. On direct appeal, Chet Kaufman & David A. Davis – Assistant Public Defenders. Collateral appeals were handled by Michael P. Reiter – Registry.

Offence and circumstances

On 05/07/98, Jonathan Huey Lawrence and his friend, Jeremiah Martel Rodgers, picked up 18-year-old Jennifer Robinson from her mother’s home. They drove to a secluded area in the woods where the three consumed alcoholic beverages. Robinson had sex with Lawrence and then Rodgers while under the influence of the alcoholic beverages provided by the two men.

After having sex with both men, Robinson was shot in the back of the head by Rodgers with a Lorcin .380 handgun. Robinson died minutes later.

Lawrence and Rodgers loaded the body into Lawrence’s truck and drove deeper into the woods. After finding a stopping place, Lawrence scored Robinson’s calf and removed her muscle. Rodgers photographed Lawrence’s procedure with a Polaroid camera and each took turns posing with Robinson’s body. Afterwards, they buried Robinson at the site.

Robinson’s disappearance was traced to Lawrence and Rodgers. The men were confronted by an investigator and they denied ever knowing Robinson. Lawrence gave his consent for the investigator to search his trailer and truck.

The investigator discovered the photographs of Robinson’s body taken during mutilation, disturbing notes written about the mutilation, a Lorcin .380 handgun, and miscellaneous artifacts of the murder event. Lawrence was instantly arrested by the investigator and confessed to his involvement; he then led investigators to Robinson’s body.

Charges and indictment

Lawrence was indicted on 06/04/98. He pled guilty on four counts:

• Count I: conspiracy to commit first-degree murder
• Count II: giving alcoholic beverages to a minor
• Count III: first-degree premeditated murder
• Count IV: abuse of a human corpse

Trial and verdicts

On 03/24/00, Lawrence was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Jennifer Robinson, conspiracy to commit the murder, providing alcoholic beverages to a minor and abuse of a human corpse.

Trial Summary dates included:

• 06/04/98: Indicted as follows:
  • Count II: Giving Alcoholic Beverages to a Person Under Twenty-one
• 03/24/00: Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
• 03/30/00: Jury recommended death by a vote of 11-1

Sentencing

Sentencing took place on 08/15/00. The sentence was as follows:

• Count I: Conspiracy to Commit First-Degree Murder – 18Y, 5M, 15D
• Count II: First-Degree Murder – Death
• Count III: Abuse of Human Corpse – 15Y

Direct appeal

On 3/27/00, Lawrence filed a Direct Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. Numerous issues were raised:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Lawrence raised the constitutionality of the death sentence, indicating that it violated Florida, federal, and international law.
6. 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.
7. Lawrence claimed that his sentence was disproportionate to the circumstances of the crime in that there were more mitigating than aggravated circumstances.

The court believed the trial judge properly weighed the circumstances in delivering his death sentence and upheld his death sentence on 03/20/03.

Proceedings in the United States Supreme Court

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.

Collateral proceedings

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.

On 02/22/06, Lawrence filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, which was currently pending.

Codefendant

Jeremiah Martel Rodgers (DC# 123101) pled guilty for the same offenses as Lawrence. Their prosecutions were conducted separately in the First Circuit Court of Santa Rosa County (CC# 98-274).