DC# 019672
DOB: 02/26/50

Thirteenth Judicial Circuit, Hillsborough County, Case #86-4084
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Guy W. Spicola
Trial Attorneys: Stephen C. Alldredge & Wayne A. Chalu – Assistant Public Defenders
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Douglas S. Connor – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Robert Strain & Carol Rodriguez – CCRC-M

Date of Offense: 03/19/86 

Date of Sentence: 03/02/87

Circumstances of Offense:

Paul Alfred Brown was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Pauline Cowell on 03/19/86.

Barry and Gail Barlow awoke to the sound of two gunshots in the early morning hours of 03/19/86.  Upon investigating the source of the shots, they found 17-year-old Pauline Cowell, Gail’s sister, dead in the Florida room of their home.  Tammy Bird, a friend of Cowell’s, had been shot as well, but she survived.  The padlock, which secured the room from the outside, was missing and the door was discovered open.

Authorities identified Brown as a possible suspect and began searching for him.  Sheriff’s deputies found Brown in the trailer park where his brother lived, hiding behind a shed.  A handgun was found in Brown’s pants, which matched the gun used in the shootings of Cowell and Bird.

Brown was living with Cowell’s mother at the time of the murder and Cowell had only recently moved from her mother’s to her sister’s home.  Upon questioning, Brown indicated that he broke into the Barlow residence to confront Cowell about some lies she was telling.  He stated that did not plot to kill Cowell, but planned on shooting her if she began to scream.

Additional Information:

Brown was previously charged and convicted of armed robbery and attempted murder (Circuit Court Case #86-4083) for the events that took place on 03/19/86.  On 10/06/86, Brown was sentenced to 30 years on each count.

Trial Summary:

03/20/86          Defendant arrested.

04/02/86          Defendant indicted on:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder

Count II:          Armed Burglary

Count III:         Attempted First-Degree Murder

02/19/87          The jury found the defendant guilty on all counts.

02/19/87          Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 7 to 5 majority, voted for the death penalty.

03/02/87          The defendant was sentenced as followed:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder - Death

Count II:          Armed Burglary - Life

Count III:         Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Case Information:

Brown filed his Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on 05/04/87.  Brown contended that the arresting detective did not read him his Miranda rights, and as such, his confessions should have been inadmissible in court.  Brown also argued that the court erred in refusing to excuse a prospective juror for cause. 

In reference to the sentencing phase, Brown raised several points of contention; however, the Florida Supreme Court found those claims to be without merit and summarily denied them all.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the convictions and sentence of death on 03/22/90 and the mandate was issued on 07/16/90.

On 09/10/90, Brown filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 11/26/90.

On 05/08/92, Brown filed a pro se 3.850 Motion in the Circuit Court.  Over the next four years, three amended motions were filed on his behalf.  On 04/09/97, the Circuit Court denied all relief.  Brown appealed that decision to the Florida Supreme Court on 05/14/97, and on 03/09/00, that court affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.

Brown filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the Florida Supreme Court on 04/25/01.  The petition was denied on 11/01/01.

Brown filed another Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in the United States District Court on 12/13/01.  The petition was administratively closed on 07/22/02 pending the final decisions in the Bottoson/King cases.  Brown filed a Motion to Re-Open the Petition on 12/31/02, which was denied on 07/28/03 and Brown was directed to raise Atkins claims (mental retardation) at the state level.

On 09/25/01, Brown filed another 3.850 Motion and amended the motion on 08/15/02.    On 06/27/03, an Evidentiary Hearing was held.  On 04/26/05, the CC denied the 3.850 Motion.

On 06/08/05, Brown filed a 3.203 Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court that is pending.

Floridacapitalcases.state.fl.us