Date of Sentence: 08/10/93
Circumstances of Offense:
On 12/10/91, Guy Gamble and
Michael Love murdered their landlord, Helmut Kuehl, by striking him
several times in the head with a claw hammer and choking him with a
cord.
Approximately six days before
the murder, Gamble told his girlfriend that he was going to “take out”
Kuehl. The day before the murder, Gamble told his girlfriend to pack
their belongings because they would be leaving town. Gamble also
rehearsed the murder of Kuehl by using his girlfriend as a simulated
victim.
On the day of the murder, Gamble
picked up his final paycheck and he and Love went to Kuehl, in the guise
of paying rent.
Gamble and Love approached Kuehl in his garage, and
when Kuehl went to his apartment to get a rent receipt, Love searched
the garage for a weapon to use to kill Kuehl. Love found a claw hammer
and placed it on a counter.
When Kuehl returned, Gamble picked up the
hammer and struck Kuehl, who fell to the ground. Gamble then held Kuehl
down while Love closed the garage doors. Love then repeatedly struck
Kuehl in the head with the hammer, then wrapped a cord around Kuehl’s
neck and began choking him.
After Kuehl was dead, Gamble wrapped the
hammer and cord in newspaper and left them lying on the floor. After
cleaning up, Gamble and Love stole Kuehl’s car, picked up their
girlfriends, and went to Kentucky Fried Chicken. After forging and
cashing a check on Kuehl’s account for $8,544, Gamble, Love, and their
girlfriends left town.
Codefendant Information:
Love pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Armed Robbery, Armed Robbery,
and
First-Degree Murder. He was sentenced to fifteen years for the
Conspiracy charge and life imprisonment for the Armed Robbery and Murder
charges.
Trial Summary:
01/01/92
Indicted as follows:
Count I Conspiracy to
Commit Armed Robbery
Count II Armed Robbery
Count III First-Degree
Murder
01/22/92
Entered a plea of not guilty
06/25/93
Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
06/29/93
Jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 10-2
08/10/93
Sentenced as follows:
Count I Conspiracy to
Commit Armed Robbery – 15 years
Count II Armed Robbery –
Life imprisonment
Count III First-Degree
Murder – Death
Case Information:
Gamble filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on 09/10/93,
citing the following errors: erroneous finding of the cold, calculated,
and premeditated murder aggravating circumstance; sentencing that was
disproportionate compared to other crimes, excessive, inappropriate, and
imposed cruel and unusual punishment; denial of special penalty phase
jury instructions; and unconstitutionality of the death penalty.
The FSC affirmed the convictions and sentences on 05/25/95.
Gamble filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme
Court on 11/29/95 that was denied on 02/20/96.
Gamble filed a 3.850 Motion with the Circuit Court on 09/20/99 that was
denied on 01/08/02.
Gamble filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal with the Florida Supreme Court on
01/30/02, raising allegations of ineffective assistance of counsel. On
05/06/04, the FSC affirmed the denial of the 3.850 Motion.
Gamble filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the Florida
Supreme Court on 08/29/02, raising allegations of ineffective assistance
of counsel and Ring claims. On 05/06/04, the FSC denied the Petition.
Gamble filed a
Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus with the U.S. District Court, Middle
District, on 09/08/04 that was denied on 07/06/05.
Gamble filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus Appeal with the U.S.
Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, on 08/03/05 that was denied
on 05/31/06.
Gamble filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari with the U.S. Supreme
Court on 08/28/06 that is pending.
FloridaCapitalCases.state.fl.us
