Criminal Sentencing and Punishment

New Florida Law Will Speed Up Death Row Executions; Will Rick Scott Sign Bill?

A defining moment of Rick Scott's political career is at hand, in a form no one would have predicted. New legislation concerning the death penalty is on its way to his desk. If he signs it, the Sunshine State may embark on an official killing spree. Florida has long stood out among the 50 states in ... More >>

Larry Lawton, America's Most Notorious Jewel Thief, Just Wants To Masturbate In Prison In Peace

Yesterday, the Sun Sentinel ran a front page feature story on Larry Lawton, a local celebrity jewel thief selling his tale of criminality and incarceration in a new book called Gangster Redemption, but left out just one key fact. Larry Lawton just wants to masturbate in prison in peace.

FAU's Football Stadium Sponsored by Prison

Florida Atlantic University has finally sold the naming rights to its football stadium. FAU and the GEO Group are set to finalize a deal on Tuesday to let the company have the naming rights. The GEO Group, which was founded by George Zoley, who received his bachelor's and master's at FAU and is a ... More >>

Two West Palm Beach Moms Sentenced for Using Their Children in Staged Accident Scams

Ana Ovando, a 42-year-old West Palm Beach mother, was sentenced to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for using her kids in staged car crashes to make cash. Ovando used her five children -- aged 3 to 17 -- during three separate staged accidents that occurred within ... More >>

Jailhouse Blues

Florida Federal Judges Inconsistent on Drug Sentences

​Judges in Florida's Northern and Middle districts have some of the widest variations in the country when it comes to sentencing folks on federal drug charges, according to new data from Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a group affiliated with Syracuse University's l ... More >>

Fort Lauderdale Police Fighting Parole For Murderers Who Didn't Technically Kill Anybody

​In July 1974, Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Walter Ilyankoff was executed in the parking lot of a Red Lobster during a botched armed robbery attempt.The four men who committed the robbery were all convicted of first-degree murder. The three still alive are up for parole in August -- and the Fort ... More >>

Brandon Deyo, Son of Clown/Kiddie Porn Collector, Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges

​Brandon Deyo, the son of David Deyo -- also known as "Noodles the Clown," who's currently serving a 17-year prison sentence for his child-pornography collection -- pleaded guilty today to possessing his own kiddie-porn stash.Brandon Deyo, 25, was an Air Force Reservist when police discovered his ... More >>

Janiber Vieira, Mother of Former Boynton Beach Cop David Britto, Gets a Year in Prison

​​​Janiber "Jane" Andrade Vieira -- mother of former Boynton Beach cop/alleged meth trafficker/federal fugitive David Britto -- was sentenced today to one year plus one day in prison.Vieira, 51, aided her son's escape to Brazil and was arrested in September on charges of contempt of court -- w ... More >>

David Britto Reportedly Said He'd "Kill Himself" if He Had to Go to Jail

David Britto, according to his mother's lawyer, said he'd "kill himself" if he had to go to jail for meth trafficking.​According to a sentencing memorandum submitted by lawyers of Janiber "Jane" Vieira -- the mother of fugitive/former Boynton Beach cop/alleged meth trafficker David Britto -- Britt ... More >>

Oba Chandler Set to Be Executed Today; Picked Salami Sandwiches for His Last Meal

Florida Department of CorrectionsOba Chandler, scheduled to die at 4 p.m. today.​Rapist/triple murderer Oba Chandler is scheduled to be executed at the Florida State Prison at 4 p.m. today, and he's already submitted the request for his last meal.According to Florida Department of Corrections spok ... More >>

Casey Anthony Probation Update: Still No Job or Money, Now Says She Hasn't Been Boozing

Orange County Sheriff's OfficeCasey Anthony​Casey Anthony showed up to her third monthly probation meeting last week, and she apparently hasn't been doing anything.The Florida Department of Corrections says Anthony's probation reports are redacted to prevent people from knowing where she lives, so ... More >>

Jakaris Taylor, Sentenced to Life at 17 for Role in Gang Rape, Now Resentenced to 60 Years

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeMug shot of Jakaris Taylor taken yesterday.​Jakaris Taylor, one of up to 10 people who took part in a West Palm Beach gang rape of a 35-year-old woman in 2007, as well as the beating of both the woman and her 12-year-old son, was resentenced today to 60 years ... More >>

Oba Chandler's Supreme Court Arguments Canceled; 12 Days Until Scheduled Execution

Florida Department of CorrectionsOba Chandler, scheduled to die in 12 days.​Arguments before the Florida Supreme Court in the appeal of triple murderer Oba Chandler's death sentence that were scheduled for Wednesday have been canceled, according to a filing from the clerk's office released just mi ... More >>

Married Couple Convicted in Failed Murder Plot of Woman's Part-Time Boyfriend

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeCraig Anderson (left) and Cynthia Green-Anderson​Cynthia Green-Anderson told her on-and-off boyfriend Jerry Logan to drop by her aunt's house to pick up some things just after noon on August 2, 2008.Logan arrived at the house, and instead of picking up the stuff, ... More >>

Oba Chandler Denied Yet Another Appeal of His Death Sentence, So He Filed Another Appeal

Florida Department of CorrectionsOba Chandler​Rapist and three-time murderer Oba Chandler's eighth attempt at appealing his death sentence was denied, and of course, he filed a ninth -- which may be the last attempt before his scheduled November 15 execution.Chandler's lawyer filed a motion in cir ... More >>

David Britto's Mother Takes a Plea Deal, Will Likely Avoid Prison Time

David Britto, a federal fugitive who's free to sip margaritas on the beaches of Brazil due to his citizenship.​Janiber "Jane" Andrade Vieira -- mother of former Boynton Beach cop/alleged meth trafficker/federal fugitive David Britto -- accepted a plea agreement yesterday that may allow her to skir ... More >>

Surprise: Rapist/Triple Murderer Oba Chandler Doesn't Want to Be Executed

Florida Department of CorrectionsOba Chandler​Rapist and three-time murderer Oba Chandler, who's scheduled to be receive his lethal injection at 4 p.m. on November 15, doesn't want to be executed. Imagine that.Chandler's lawyer filed a motion in a circuit court today seeking to have Chandler's ... More >>

Florida Corrections Officer Gives Some Interwebs Insight About State Prisons

zazzle.comWe don't even know who this hat belongs to.​Being a corrections officer is one of the strangest jobs imaginable -- you're stuck in a big concrete and iron box for eight-plus hours per day, surrounded by some of society's most loathed humans, who are likely armed with rusty shanks and ... More >>

John Henry Convicted of Murder in Beating Death of Man Who Broke Into His House Twice

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeJohn Henry​Here's the thing about Florida's "stand your ground" law: It doesn't cover beating the burglar to death with a baseball bat when you find him later in a Walmart parking lot.A jury decided yesterday that 28-year-old John Henry did just that, convicting H ... More >>

State Rep. Wants to Ban Lethal Injections, Offer Inmates Choice of Firing Squad or Electrocution

sodahead.comAre you a sissy who doesn't like lethal injection? Try "a .45 caliber lead cocktail instead."​Florida's method of executing death-row inmates by lethal injection is just causing too much controversy, so State Rep. Brad Drake wants to end the practice.Drake has filed a bill to give the ... More >>

Rick Scott Inks Another Death Warrant: 65-Year-Old Oba Chandler Is Next

Florida Department of CorrectionsOba Chandler​Gov. Rick Scott signed a death warrant to give a lethal juicing to the second inmate of his governorship -- this time for 65-year-old triple murderer Oba Chandler.The execution is scheduled for 4 p.m. on November 15, but don't be surprised if that does ... More >>

Casey Anthony Probation Update: She's Unemployed, Broke, and Boozing

Orange County Sheriff's OfficeCasey Anthony​Casey Anthony showed up to her monthly probation meeting yesterday evening and is living a typical American life: She has no money, no job, and she's been drinking, according to the Florida Department of Corrections.As we've mentioned before, Anthony's t ... More >>

Manuel Valle Execution: Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

​Manuel Valle was executed by the State of Florida at 7:14 p.m. Wednesday after the many appeals filed on his behalf were denied.Just before the execution was scheduled to take place at 4 p.m., the U.S. Supreme Court delayed it to briefly take a look at the case.A stay of execution was denied, but ... More >>

Scott Rothstein Computer Nerds Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison

Scott Rothstein​Curtis Renie and William Corte, the information technology workers for Ponzi scheme mastermind Scott Rothstein's law firm, were each sentenced to 37 months in prison yesterday.Renie and Corte, both 38 years old, pleaded guilty in June to a single count each of conspiracy to commit ... More >>

Florida Death-Row Facts, Including Last-Meal Parameters and the Executioner's Paycheck

​It's been nearly 20 months since the last execution of a prisoner by the State of Florida, and in anticipation of South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle's lethal injection at 4 p.m. today, we decided today would be a good day to drop some death-row knowledge.Valle, 61, was convicted of killing Cor ... More >>

Manuel Valle Executed After Stay Denied by United States Supreme Court

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle​South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle was executed by lethal injection inside the Florida State Prison at 7:14 p.m. today.Valle came within minutes of dying earlier in the day, before the U.S. Supreme Court halted the lethal injection for several h ... More >>

Manuel Valle Execution Draws Florida Supreme Court Petition From Irish Neurologist

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, sheduled to die tomorrow at 4 p.m.​The execution of convicted South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle has been petitioned in the Florida Supreme Court yet again over issues with the new lethal injection drug, this time with the objection of a Northern I ... More >>

Florida Supreme Court Quickly Dismisses Latest Manuel Valle Appeal

​Well, that was quick. Less than an hour ago, the Florida Supreme Court released a ruling saying the court will not hear the latest petition over issues with the new lethal injection drug to be used in Manuel Valle's execution.Yesterday, Northern Irish neurologist Dr. David Nicholl asked the court ... More >>

State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda Files Bill to Repeal Florida's Death Penalty

motifake.com​On the verge of the state's first lethal injection under the regime of Gov. Rick Scott -- convicted cop killer Manuel Valle is scheduled to be executed at 4 p.m. tomorrow -- State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda of Tallahassee has filed a bill that would end executions in Florid ... More >>

Manuel Valle Denied Stay of Execution by Florida Supreme Court; Death Date Remains

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, scheduled to die on September 28.​South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle's petition asking for a stay of execution was denied today by the Florida Supreme Court.His scheduled date with death remains September 28, 2011, at 4 p.m.Valle's lawyers filed th ... More >>

Wildlife Officers Find Felon With a Gun, as Well as a Few Bags Containing 260 Baby Alligators

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionThat, ladies and gentlemen, is a sack of alligators.​Here's what Robert "Bo" Martin Duval and Christopher Cork Scroggins found out a few days ago: Having a sack full o' baby alligators is a felony.According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservat ... More >>

Manuel Valle's Lawyers File Another Petition With the Florida Supreme Court

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle​The lawyers for South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle have filed a petition with the Florida Supreme Court over clemency proceedings for Valle and have asked the court to stay Valle's scheduled execution... again.Valle, 61, has been given a date to die ... More >>

Aniel Escobar Gets 60-Year Sentence for Slaying Girlfriend's Twin, Threatening to Kill Baby

Palm Beach County Sheriff's OfficeAniel Escobar, convicted murderer/rapist, was sentenced to 60 years in prison.​Aniel Escobar's girlfriend came over to his West Palm Beach home last September with her twin sister and 1-year-old kid after Escobar had requested $250 to pay his electric bill.Instead ... More >>

David Britto's Mother Faces Life in Prison for Allegedly Helping Her Son Escape to Brazil

David Britto, federal fugitive, has been in Brazil for three weeks and change.​Janiber "Jane" Andrade Vieira -- the mother of Boynton Beach cop/alleged meth trafficker/federal fugitive David Britto -- was indicted by a grand jury on charges that she helped her son escape to Brazil, according t ... More >>

Manuel Valle Gets His Third Date With Death: September 28

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, now sheduled to die on September 28.​For the third time, convicted South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle has been given a date to die.This time, it's been scheduled for September 28, 2011, at 4 p.m. at the Florida State Prison in Raiford, according to ... More >>

Rick Scott and Private Prisons Engaging in "Pay to Play" Politics, Teamsters Complaint Alleges

​Florida politicians received nearly $1 million in campaign contributions from two private prison corporations last election cycle -- GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America -- and an ethics complaint filed by the Teamsters union yesterday claims $30,000 of those contributions that went t ... More >>

Scott Rothstein Saga: Howard Kusnick Gets Two Years Up the River

Howard Kusnick (left).​Howard Kusnick -- a former lawyer at Scott Rothstein's now-defunct law firm and associate to his $1.2 billion Ponzi scheme -- was sentenced today to two years in federal prison.Kusnick is now the second person in the current round of Rothstein-related indictments to receive ... More >>

Sex Offender Caught Printing Out Pictures of Naked Men at Library Gets Eight Years in Prison

Florida Department of Law EnforcementFrank Lawrence​Convicted sex offender and kiddie porn collector Frank Lawrence was sentenced to eight years in prison today, stemming from charges that came about when a Palm Beach County librarian caught him checking out some naked dudes on the net and printin ... More >>

Elroy Phillips Dug Up Evidence From Prison, but He Still Might Not Get a Chance to Prove His Innocence

Manuel Valle's Execution Gets the Go-Ahead From Circuit Court Judge

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, now sheduled to die on September 1.​Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Jacqueline Hogan Scola cleared one more roadblock to the lethal juicing of South Florida cop killer Manuel Valle.After a hearing ordered by the Florida Supreme Court to decide the effectiven ... More >>

Miramar Man Sentenced for DUI Manslaughter; Apparently Didn't Have the Cash to Avoid Prison

Broward Sheriff's OfficeRobert Jones​A 33-year-old Miramar man was sentenced today to ten years up the river for drunkenly mowing over and killing a motorcyclist in 2009.Robert Jones pleaded guilty a few weeks ago to killing 43-year-old Eric Maron while he was drunk-driving his fiancée's daughter ... More >>

Maker of Drug Used in Florida Lethal Injections Asked Rick Scott Not to Kill People With It

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, the subject of the current lethal-injection controversy in Florida.​Florida hasn't tested out the new lethal-injection drug it has planned to start using, but letters to Gov. Rick Scott from the drugmaker's president -- sent before Scott signed off on ... More >>

Manuel Valle, South Florida Cop Killer, Has Execution Delayed by Florida Supreme Court

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle, now sheduled to die on September 1.​The first jailhouse coup de grâce approved by Gov. Rick Scott has been delayed by the Florida Supreme Court.Manuel Valle -- convicted of killing a Coral Gables cop in 1978 -- was scheduled to be executed on August ... More >>

Rick Scott and Cabinet's Decision for Ex-Con Voting Hurdles Seems Bogus, Study Implies

prwatch.org​As much as Gov. Rick Scott likes to make the rules, it looks like his Cabinet's idea for making new hurdles for ex-convicts to have their civil rights restored was pulled out of their collective asses, according to implications from a recent study by the Florida Parole Commission.The s ... More >>

Ryan LeVin Gets Eight Months in Illinois Prison

Ryan LeVin​Briton-killing douchebag Ryan LeVin will spend the next eight months up the river, according to the Chicago Tribune.When LeVin decided to go to Florida to face charges related to killing two men in Fort Lauderdale with his Porsche 911 Turbo, he didn't tell authorities in Illinois that h ... More >>

Rick Scott Signs Off on First Lethal Juicing for South Florida Cop Killer

Florida Department of CorrectionsManuel Valle is scheduled to die on August 2.​Gov. Rick Scott has approved the first jailhouse coup de grace of his governorship, the Miami Herald reports.Manuel Valle -- convicted of killing a Coral Gables cop in 1978 -- is scheduled to be executed on August 2.Acc ... More >>

Scott Rothstein Saga: Debra Villegas Goes to Prison; Four Enter Guilty Pleas

Scott W. Rothstein​The gifts of prison sentences keep coming, thanks to Scott Rothstein.Debra Villegas, the second in command for Rothstein's gigantic Ponzi scheme, surrendered to her new home at a minimum-security federal prison last week to begin her ten-year sentence.Villegas, now 44, pleaded g ... More >>