JOHNNY ROBERTS, APPELLANT,
v.
STATE OF FLORIDA, APPELLEE
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Johnny Roberts was convicted of second degree murder in the shooting death of Jackie Robinson. On appeal, Roberts challenged the denial of his motion for acquittal, arguing the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction for second degree murder rather than manslaughter based on excessive self-defense.
The court affirmed the second degree murder conviction, holding that viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the state, it was sufficient to support the jury verdict. Roberts's prior threats to kill Robinson and his statement that he wanted to 'get Robinson back,' combined with the fact that he fired four to five times after restraining Robinson, were sufficient evidence of depravity of mind (ill will, hatred, spite, or evil intent) required for second degree murder.
[1] Second degree murder requires proof that the defendant killed the decedent with a depraved mind, meaning malice in the sense of ill will, hatred, spite, or evil intent.
[2] Manslaughter encompasses situations where a defendant uses excessive force in self-defense.
Previewing 2 of 5 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“In order to obtain a conviction for second degree murder, the state must prove that the defendant killed the decedent with a depraved mind regardless of human life.”
Establishes the legal standard for second degree murder conviction under Florida law
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceJackie Robinson dated Teresa Taylor for years before they separated. When Taylor began dating Roberts, Robinson assaulted Taylor and threatened both T…
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[*71] CAMPBELL, Judge.
Roberts appeals his conviction of second degree murder. The only issue which merits discussion is Roberts’s argument that the court erred in denying his motion for acquittal made at the close of the state’s case.
The decedent, Jackie Robinson, dated Teresa Taylor for several years. They separated and she began dating Roberts. A few days prior to the killing, the decedent assaulted Taylor. When Roberts intervened, Robinson threatened both Taylor and Roberts with his gun. Roberts reported the incident to the police. Subsequently, in discussing the incident with the decedent’s brother Charles, Roberts said, “If I didn’t know your brother, Otis, that I would kill your brother, Jackie.” Later, Roberts indicated to several people that he wanted to “get Robinson back.” At a bar on the night in question, the decedent threatened a man named Levon Smith with his gun. Smith later met Roberts outside the bar. They left and went to Taylor’s apartment and later returned to the bar. After they returned, the decedent was standing outside on the sidewalk. Roberts came out of the front door of the bar and walked directly toward the decedent who turned and reached for his gun. Roberts grabbed Robinson’s hand that was reaching toward his belt where the gun supposedly was and with his other hand pulled out his own gun and shot four or five times. Robinson, because he was restrained by Roberts, never freed his gun from his belt or pants, but later the gun was found on the sidewalk next to his right hand. Although the state charged Roberts with first degree murder, the jury found him guilty of second degree murder. In order to obtain a conviction for second degree murder, the state must prove that the defendant killed the decedent with a depraved mind regardless of human life. § 782.04(2), Fla.Stat. (1979).
Depravity of mind means malice in the sense of ill will, hatred, spite or evil intent. Ramsey v. State, 114 Fla. 766,154 So. 855 (1934).
Roberts argues that the act which resulted in Robinson’s death was not a product of a depraved mind, but rather occurred because he overreacted and used excessive force in the face of the decedent’s threatening actions, and thus he was guilty of no more than manslaughter. The crime of manslaughter encompasses those situations in which the defendant uses excessive force to defend himself. Pearce v. State, 154 Fla. 656, 18 So. 2d 754 (1944); Pierce v. State, 376 So. 2d 417 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979); Martinez v. State, 360 So. 2d 108 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978).
Viewed in the light most favorable to the state, the evidence supports the jury’s verdict of second degree murder.
The evidence justifies the jury’s rejection of Roberts’s self defense claim. Though it could have found that he used excessive force in seeking to prevent Robinson from shooting him, it did not. Appellant stated to the deceased’s brother that, “I would kill your brother, Jackie” if he had not known the other brothers. He also stated to others that he wanted to “get Robinson back.” Those statements, when considered with the fact that appellant fired his gun four or five times after he had apparently succeeded in restraining the decedent, were sufficient to survive a motion for acquittal of second degree murder. The state’s case having survived a motion for acquittal, the jury could have and apparently did find that appellant used excessive force and thus acted out of a sense of ill will, hatred, spite or evil intent and was guilty of second degree murder. Ramsey v. State.
We, therefore, affirm. However, we note that in the original sentence the court retained jurisdiction over one third of Roberts’s sentence without stating with particularity its justification for doing so. On resentencing, if the court wishes to retain jurisdiction over a portion of Roberts’s sentence, it must state with particularity its justification for doing so as required by section 947.16(3)(a), Florida Statutes (1979).
SCHEB, J., concurs.
GRIMES, A.C.J., dissents with opinion.
GRIMES, Acting Chief Judge,
dissenting.
I believe that the state failed to establish that Roberts killed the deceased with a depraved mind regardless of human life, an essential element of second degree murder. § 782.04(2), Fla.Stat. (1979). Viewed in the light most favorable to the state, the evidence still shows that the decedent reached for his weapon first. There is no evidence that Roberts was threatening the decedent as he walked toward him. Roberts produced a gun only after the decedent made the first move. Admittedly, the jury was entitled to reject Robert’s claim of self defense. However, where one kills another through the use of excessive force in defending himself, the appropriate charge is manslaughter. Pearce v. State; Pierce v. State; Martinez v. State.
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Rodgers v. State, 948 So. 2d 655 (Fla. 2006)…ncur. . Rather than an outright rejection of self-defense, the verdict of guilty of manslaughter in Rodgers' 1979 trial may have reflected a finding of "imperfect self-defense,” i.e., meeting nondeadly force with deadly force. See Roberts v. State, 425 So. 2d 70, 71 (Fla. 2d DCA 1982) ("The crime of manslaughter encompasses those situations in which the defendant uses excessive force to defend himself.”). . While the issue is obviously close, I cannot disagree with my colleagues in the majority on the find…
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Peoples v. State, 251 So. 3d 291 (Fla. 1st DCA 2018)
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Rodriguez v. State, 443 So. 2d 286 (Fla. 3d DCA 1983)…ressor more than the other, and if in such combat one slays the other, such killing is manslaughter.”); see Disney v. State, 73 So. 598; Holland v. State, 12 Fla. 117 (1867-68)6; (3) by the use of excessive force to defend oneself, Roberts v. State, 425 So. 2d 70 (Fla. 2d DCA 1982), rev. denied, 434 So. 2d 888 (Fla.1983); Pierce v. State, 376 So. 2d 417 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979), cert. denied, 386 So. 2d 640 (Fla.1980); see Martinez v. State, 360 So. 2d 108 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978), cert. denied, 367 So. 2d 1125 (Fla.197…
Previewing 3 of 8 citing cases — full citator treatment, depth of discussion, and citing context are member features.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceAuthorities Cited
- Ramsey v. State, 114 Fla. 766 (Fla. 1934)
- Martinez v. State, 360 So. 2d 108 (Fla. 3d DCA 1978)
- Pierce v. State, 376 So. 2d 417 (Fla. 3d DCA 1979)
- Pearce v. State, 154 Fla. 656 (Fla. 1944)
- Kirby v. Kirby, 154 Fla. 701 (Fla. 1944)