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Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, Bay
County, Case# 92-442-I
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable
Judy M. Pittman
Attorneys, Trial: Walter B.
Smith – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Direct Appeal: David
A. Davis – Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeals:
D. Todd Doss – Registry
Date of Offense: 03/03/92
Date of Sentence: 03/25/93
Circumstances of the Offense:
Roderick Orme had known Ms.
Redd, the victim, for a period of time prior to the offense. On
03/03/92, Orme called Ms. Redd to Lee’s Motel where he was staying. Orme
had been freebasing cocaine and was having a “bad high” so he called Ms.
Redd because she was a nurse.
Orme stated that Ms. Redd arrived at his
hotel room sometime between 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., according to his
first statement, and between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., according to his
second statement.
According to Orme, Ms. Redd knocked the crack pipe out
of his hand, which caused the loss of his drugs. She also placed several
pieces of crack into the toilet. Orme then left, took Ms. Redd’s purse
and used her car keys to drive her car to ‘go partying.’
Orme stated
that he returned to the hotel a number of times and that it was still
dark outside when he realized something was wrong, but he could not
enter the room because he had left the motel key in the room. In both of
Orme’s statements to the police, he did not admit to any part of the
murder to Ms. Redd
On the morning of 03/04/92, Orme
showed up at a recovery center in Panama City, FL. One year prior to
this date he had been treated at this same facility for an extensive
substance abuse history.
On this morning, Orme was disoriented and
unable to respond to questions, yet he managed to write “LEE’S MOT
RM15.” Orme’s face was flushed and he was displaying symptoms of
delirium tremors, both of which are indicative of acute cocaine
withdrawal. Orme’s blood tested positive for cocaine, and he was placed
in intensive care for approximately thirty hours. Orme was also in
possession of illegal barbiturates.
An individual at the recovery
center placed a telephone call to Lee’s Motel and asked to have room 15
checked. When the owner of the motel checked the room, he found the body
of Lisa Redd.
The body had been badly beaten, and the cause of death was
strangulation. Semen samples were taken. Those from the orifices of the
victim’s body were not matched, but a sample from the victim’s
underpants matched Orme’s DNA.
Orme’s underpants had blood that matched
Orme’s and the victim’s. Orme’s fingerprints were found in the motel
room. His wallet was found in the victim’s car, which was parked outside
the motel. On 03/06/92 Orme was released from the hospital and then
arrested.
Trial Summary:
03/26/92 Indicted as
follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: Robbery
Count III: Sexual Battery with
Physical Force
03/27/92 Defendant
entered a written plea of not guilty
02/06/93 Jury returned
guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment
03/01/93 Jury
recommended death by a vote of 7-5
03/25/93 Sentenced as
follows:
Count I: First-Degree Murder – Death
Count II: Robbery – 15years Count III: Sexual Battery with Physical Force – 22 years
Case Information:
Orme filed a Direct Appeal on
04/23/93 to the Florida Supreme Court. Orme raised eight issues on the
direct appeal; the main issue argues that the trial court should have
directed a judgment of acquittal on grounds that the case against him
was circumstantial and the State failed to disprove all reasonable
hypotheses of innocence.
The Florida Supreme Court found there was
competent substantial evidence that supported the conclusion that the
State had presented adequate evidence refuting Orme’s theory, that an
unknown assailant killed Ms. Redd in his absence, creating inconsistency
between the State and defense theories. The Court affirmed his
conviction and sentence on 05/02/96.
Orme filed a Petition for Writ
of Certiorari on 10/11/96 to the United States Supreme Court. The
petition was denied on 01/13/97.
Orme filed a 3.850 Motion to the
Circuit Court on 12/17/97. The motion was denied on 03/08/02.
Orme filed a 3.850 Appeal to the
Florida Supreme Court on 12/10/02. The Court reversed the trial court’s
denial of the 3.850 Motion and remanded the case for resentencing on
02/24/05. The decision was based on ineffective assistance of counsel
during the penalty phase for the failure to investigate and present
Orme’s bipolar disorder diagnosis. On all other claims raised in Orme’s
appeal, the Court affirmed. The mandate was issued on 03/17/05.
Orme then filed a Petition for
Writ of Habeas Corpus to the Florida Supreme Court on 08/07/03, which
was denied on 02/24/05. The mandate was issued on 03/17/05.
FloridaCapitalCases.state.fl.us
Killer's death
row pals plea
Marc Baker, Wales on Sunday
July 24 2005
A DEATH row killer of Welsh
descent wants pen pals from Wales to help him prepare for the electric
chair.
Roderick Orme - nicknamed
the Florida Strangler - is so proud of his heritage that he has a tattoo
of a winged Welsh dragon on his left arm. Now he wants to get back to
his roots by airmail before he meets his maker.
The 43-year-old bald
murderer has spent the past 12 years on death row at the maximum
security Union Correctional Institution in Florida.
But last night, the cold-blooded
killer said he was "now worthy of another's friendship".
Orme was sentenced to death
in 1993 for strangling nurse Lisa Redd while high on cocaine at a motel
in Panama City, Florida.
He denied first degree
murder, robbery and sexual battery, but was found guilty after a jury
heard how he subjected Miss Redd to a savage beating on March 4, 1992.
He was snared by DNA evidence.
Orme strangled Miss Redd to
death after he called her to his room because he was having a "bad high"
after freebasing cocaine.
But last night, Orme
insisted he is a changed man as he launched a bid to find pen friends
from the green green grass of home.
Orme, who will have to
choose between the electric chair or lethal injection, has launched his
search through the Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty website.
Speaking from his cell, the
14-stone convict said: "I am 42 years old and from Welsh descent. I have
been on death row for almost 12 years.
"During that time I have
gone through many changes. From total shock and disbelief of where I am
to finally understanding and accepting the reality all things have
purpose.
"As a so-called free person,
I was a slave to pleasures of the flesh. Whether it was for booze, drugs
or sex.
"Now as a death row prisoner
I am totally physically locked down, but find myself mentally freer than
I've ever been.
"As a result, I believe I
have become someone worthy of another's friendship, while I still
struggle with my many flaws, one thing I have come to hold to strongly
is a sense of honesty.
"I hope to find a good
friend now on the outside."
Last night, prison chiefs at
the Union Correctional Institution, said people still had time to make
contact.
A spokeswoman said: "At this
time, Orme does not have an active death warrant and no date of
execution has been set."
Roderick Michael
Orme Pen Pal
I am
forty two years old and from Welsh descent. I have been on Death Row
for almost twelve years. During that time I have gone through many
changes. From total shock and disbelief of where I am to finally
understanding and accepting the reality all things have purpose. As a
so-called 'Freeperson' I was a slave to pleasures of the flesh. Whether
it was for booze, drugs, sex etc...Now as a death row prisoner I am
totally physically locked down, but find myself mentally freer than I've
ever been. As a result I believe I have become someone worthy of
another's friendship, while I still struggle with my many flaws, one
thing I have come to hold to strongly is a sense of honesty. I hope to
find a good friend now on the outside that I can share what time I have
left engaged in real discussions and happiness. Hope t hear from you
soon. Thank you,
Roderick M Orme 726848 P5202 Union Correctional Institution 7819 N.W. 228th St. Raiford, FL 32026
