Florida Supreme Court

DC# 124460
DOB:  05/24/61

Ninth Judicial Circuit, Osceola County Case# 95-2078
Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable Belvin Perry, Jr.
Attorney, Trial:  Kathleen Flammia – Court-appointed
Attorney, Direct Appeal:  George D.E. Burden – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Eric Pinkard, David Gemmer & James L. Driscoll, Jr. – CCRC-M

Date of Offense:  10/15/95

Date of Sentence:  01/30/98

Circumstances of the Offense:

On 01/30/98, Scott Mansfield was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death.

Jesus Alfonso and Sara Robles went to Rosie’s Pub on the night of 10/14/95.  According to Alfonso’s testimony, he left the pub around 1:30 a.m., but Robles stayed behind to play a game of pool with a man matching Mansfield’s description. 

Karen Hill, the bartender at the pub, told police that Robles, Mansfield and William Finnerman left the pub a little after 2:00 a.m.  Finnerman testified that he left the pub with Mansfield and Robles around 2:00 a.m. and last saw them around 3:00 a.m. 

According the testimony of a night clerk at Winn-Dixie, a grocery store located in the same shopping center as the pub, Robles and Mansfield went into the store and purchased some items during the early morning hours of 10/15/95.  The clerk also stated she saw Robles and Mansfield outside of Winn-Dixie during her break at 3:00 p.m.

On the morning of 10/15/95, Robles’ body was found in a grassy area next to the Winn-Dixie.  When her body was discovered, her clothing was moved to reveal her breasts and pelvis area.  Robles’ breasts and genitals were mutilated.  Receipts from Winn-Dixie, food stamps, and a pager were found around Robles’ body. 

According to the testimony of the medical examiner, Robles’ cause of death was asphyxia due to airway compression, which resulted from a blunt force trauma to her neck.  The medical examiner explained that the perpetrator straddled Robles on the ground, strangling her with one hand while the other hand was used to press an object down on top of her lower neck, causing her trachea to collapse. 

The examiner concluded that prior to Robles’ death, she was conscious for a few minutes, struggling for air, and then fell unconscious; her breasts and genitals were mutilated while she was unconscious.

Investigators of the scene discovered that the pager found near Robles’ body belonged to Mansfield.  As investigators were questioning Mansfield, they noticed fresh scratches on his knees and hands.  Mansfield admitted he went to the pub and Winn-Dixie with Robles.  Police arrested Mansfield for the suspected murder of Robles.  During the arrest, police noticed Mansfield was wearing a ring with a “Grim Reaper” design.

The day after his arrest, Mansfield’s brother called and invited the police to the apartment they shared.  Food stamps, a knife and sheath, some clothing, and a towel were found in Mansfield’s room. 

Officers questioned Mansfield’s ten-year-old niece.  She recalled seeing Mansfield, during the early hours of 10/15/95, soaking wet, wearing only his shorts.  The niece also noticed possible blood stains on his shorts.  Mansfield told his niece that he had gone for a swim at a pool complex.

During his indictment on 10/20/95, the medical examiner further stated that the injury pattern on Robles’ neck matched the pattern of Mansfield’s “Grim Reaper” ring, which he wore at the time of his arrest.  Mike Derrick, Mansfield’s jail cell roommate, testified that Mansfield confessed to the murder during a conversation that the two had.

Trial Summary:

10/20/95          Mansfield was indicted as follows:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder   

11/10/97          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

11/12/97          Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0

01/30/98          Mansfield was sentenced as follows:

Count I:           First-Degree Murder – Death

Case Information:

Mansfield filed a Direct Appeal on 02/28/98 and numerous issues were raised.  First, Mansfield claimed that his counsel was ineffective in failing to accurately communicate the State’s plea offer after Mansfield was found guilty at trial.  Second, he claimed the court erred in denying Mansfield’s motion to suppress statements made by the investigators prior to his arrest. 

Third, Mansfield claimed the court erred in finding the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator.  Fourth, he claimed the death sentence is not proportionate.  Fifth, he claimed the court erred in its consideration of the mitigating factors.  Sixth, Mansfield claimed the court erred in finding no discovery violation for the State’s failure to list demonstrative evidence introduced at the trial. 

Seventh, he claimed the court erred in admitting the knife and sheath as evidence.  Eighth, he claimed the court erred by admitting photographs of the victim’s body.  Ninth, Mansfield claimed the court erred in permitting victim impact evidence. 

And finally, he claimed the court erred in rejecting Mansfield’s special request of jury instruction on the heinous, atrocious, or cruel aggravator.  The Florida Supreme Court affirmed Mansfield’s conviction and death sentence on 03/30/00.

Mansfield filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court on 06/28/00, which was denied on 04/23/01.

On 06/15/01, Mansfield filed a 3.851 Motion to the Circuit Court.  An amended Motion was filed on 04/19/02.  The Motion was denied on 09/06/01.

Mansfield filed a 3.851 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court on 08/04/03.  On 07/07/05, the Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of the 3.851 Motion because Mansfield had failed to raise any issue with any merit.  Mansfield filed a motion for rehearing on 07/21/05, which was denied on 09/15/05.  The mandate was issued on 10/03/05.

On 02/26/04, Mansfield filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court, which was denied on 07/07/05.  Mansfield filed a motion for rehearing on 07/21/05, which was denied on 09/15/05.  The mandate was issued on 10/03/05.

On 10/03/05, Mansfield filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District Court, Middle District.  The petition is currently pending.

FloridaCapitalCases.state.fl.us

Scott Mansfield