William Earl Sweet

Case information

William Earl Sweet was sentenced to death on August 30, 1991.

The case was in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County. The case number was 91-2899. The sentencing judge was The Honorable Frederick B. Tygart.

Criminal trial attorneys were Charles Adams, Esq. and Lindsey Moore, Esq. The direct appeal attorney was David A. Davis - Assistant Public Defender. Collateral appeals were handled by Frank Tassone, Jr. - Registry.

The date of birth given was 10/03/67. The registry date of offense was 06/27/90. The date of sentence was 08/30/91.

Timeline

• 06/27/90 — Registry date of offense
• 06/26/90 — Cofer was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs
• 06/28/90 — Defendant was arrested
• 08/30/91 — Sentencing
• 09/19/91 — Sweet filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court
• 08/05/93 — Florida Supreme Court affirmed Sweet’s convictions and sentence of death
• 02/28/94 — United States Supreme Court denied Sweet’s Petition for Writ of Certiorari
• 01/31/02 — Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion
• 06/13/02 — Florida Supreme Court denied Sweet’s Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
• 05/12/03 — Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court
• 11/18/03 — Amended motion was filed in the 3.850 matter
• 02/11/04 — The motion was denied
• 03/10/04 — Sweet filed a 3.850 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court
• 12/20/04 — Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion
• 03/08/05 — Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court
• 07/14/05 — The motion was denied
• 06/16/06 — Florida Supreme Court denied Sweet’s 3.851 Appeal

The offence

William Sweet was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of 13-year-old Felicia Bryant.

In June 1990, Marcine Cofer was robbed and physically accosted in her apartment by three men. Cofer was able to identify two of her attackers by name. On 06/26/90, she was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs.

That evening, Detective Robinson dropped Cofer off back at her apartment. William Sweet was watching from afar as Cofer left the detective. Sweet had previously implicated himself to a friend as the third perpetrator in the attack and robbery of Cofer.

That same evening, Cofer asked her neighbor, Mattie Bryant, if Bryant’s two daughters, Felicia and Sharon Bryant, could stay with her in her apartment. Mattie agreed and the girls went over to Cofer’s place around 8:00 p.m.

At 1:00 a.m., Sharon reported hearing a loud kick on the apartment door. She woke Cofer and informed her of the noise. After checking the premises, Cofer told Sharon not to worry as it appeared that whoever had been there had left. Cofer then went back to bed.

Sharon then saw someone pulling on the screen in the living room and again alerted Cofer. Cofer then looked out the peephole of her front door and noticed Sweet standing outside the apartment. Cofer told Felicia to bang on the wall of the bathroom, alerting her mother, Mattie Bryant, who was next door. Mattie rushed over a few minutes later.

The four women lined up behind the door, with Cofer in the back of the line. As they attempted to leave, William Sweet forced his way inside the apartment, trying to cover his face with a pair of pants. Sweet opened fire on Cofer and then proceeded to shoot the other three women. Six shots were fired.

Cofer was shot twice, as was Felicia. Felicia died as a result of the gunshot wounds to her abdomen and hand.

Investigation

On 06/26/90, Cofer was taken to the police station to try to identify the third assailant through photographs.

Detective Robinson dropped Cofer off back at her apartment that evening.

Arrest

William Sweet was arrested on 06/28/90.

Trial

On 08/02/90, William Sweet was indicted on the following counts:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder
• Count II: Attempted First-Degree Murder
• Count III: Attempted First-Degree Murder
• Count IV: Attempted First-Degree Murder
• Count V: Armed Burglary

On 05/24/91, the jury found the defendant guilty of all counts charged in the indictment.

On 06/03/91, upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 10 to 2 majority, voted for the death penalty.

Sentencing

On 08/30/91, the defendant was sentenced as followed:

• Count I: First-Degree Murder — Death
• Count II: Attempted First-Degree Murder — Life
• Count III: Attempted First-Degree Murder — Life
• Count IV: Attempted First-Degree Murder — Life
• Count V: Armed Burglary — Life

Appeals

On 09/19/91, Sweet filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court.

In the direct appeal, Sweet argued that the trial court erred in failing to adequately inquire into his desire to represent himself. Sweet also contended that the court erred in admitting evidence that Cofer had previously been robbed and that Sweet was involved. Sweet also argued the consideration and application of aggravating factors.

The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Sweet’s convictions and sentence of death on 08/05/93.

Sweet then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 02/28/94.

Next, Sweet filed a Motion to Vacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850) in the State Circuit Court. The motion was subsequently denied, after which Sweet filed an appeal in the Florida Supreme Court. The court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion on 01/31/02.

On 12/31/01, Sweet filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court, which was denied on 06/13/02.

On 05/12/03, Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court, and an amended motion was filed on 11/18/03. The motion was denied on 02/11/04.

Sweet filed a 3.850 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 03/10/04, and on 12/20/04, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of Sweet’s 3.850 Motion.

Next, Sweet filed a 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court on 03/08/05. The motion was denied on 07/14/05.

On 07/27/05, Sweet filed a 3.851 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court. The appeal was denied on 06/16/06.

Prior incarceration history

William Sweet was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment for Second-Degree Murder (CC # 94-4813) after he was sentenced to death for the current offense (CC # 91-2899).

Other details

Circumstances of offense: Home-invader; killed holdup victims.

DISPOSITION: Condemned on one count, 1991; 35 years on second count, 1994.

SEX: M RACE: B TYPE: T MOTIVE: CE MO: Home-invader; killed holdup victims