Williams v. State

199 So. 2d 752, 1967 Fla. App. LEXIS 4923
District Court of Appeal of Florida·Decided May 24, 1967·No. No. 6960·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

ALLEN, Chief Judge.

The appellant, Robert Earl Williams, was indicted by the Grand Jury and tried in the Circuit Court of Lee County on charges of murder in the first degree. The indictment charged Williams “did unlawfully and, from a premeditated design to effect the death of another human being, murder one Lester B. Sumner, contrary to the statute in such case made and provided, and against the peace and' dignity of the State of Florida.” The jury found the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree and a majority recommended him to the mercy of the court. Thereafter, he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Williams was convicted of murdering Lester B. Sumner in April of 1965. Sumner was a foreman for the State Road Department, working out of Pine Island Camp, a road prison of the Division of Correction in Lee County. On April 26, 1965, Sumner and his truck driver, Scott, were working four prisoners, the appellant Williams, Al-ligood, Wingard and Jones. The prisoners were worked without being under close custody, and neither Sumner nor Scott were armed on the morning in question.

The prisoners were assigned a job for that day to mow the right-of-way on Bunche Beach Road, located in Lee County, Florida. They arrived at the scene in a State Road Department truck towing a trailer. Work was commenced at approximately 9:00 A.M. Subsequently, Wingard approached Scott and asked him, “Boss, what time is it ?” Scott answered, “It’s five minutes to ten,” when something hit him in the back of the head.

Jones was approximately 125 to 150 feet in front of the truck putting down work signs and Sumner was in back of the trailer approximately 50 to 75 feet away. Williams was in the center of the highway walking toward Sumner. Scott did not know where Alligood was at the time. Shortly thereafter, Williams came to the truck and said to Alligood, “The damn fool tried to play hero and I had to stick him.”

Neither Scott nor Jones saw the scuffle between Williams and Sumner and Win-gard and Alligood did not testify. Williams testified that he put his hand on Sumner’s neck when Sumner started to go to Scott. Sumner said, “Don’t do that,” and jumped around, holding Williams. Williams said he tripped over Sumner’s foot when Sumner tried to pull Williams in front of him. Williams testified that he did not realize a blow had been struck until’ he saw the blood hit the ground. Williams and Alligood placed Sumner in the cage of the truck with Scott and the fourth prisoner, Jones, who took no part in the incident.

The truck was driven to a side road, where Scott’s clothes, his watch and his wallet were taken. Scott was chained to a cabbage palm tree; the trailer was unhooked and the truck was driven away with Alligood at the wheel.

Williams and Alligood were apprehended on Route 41 approximately 10 miles east of Naples, Florida, at approximately 1:00 RM. by Patrolman Peacock of the Florida Highway Patrol, who had been given specific orders to find them. They were wearing khaki colored clothing when apprehended.

The ultimate facts set forth above were taken from the brief of the appellant in this case.

Williams plead guilty to a charge of escape and was sentenced to five years in the State Penitentiary. Alligood was also sentenced to five years for escape, which he appealed and his conviction has been recently affirmed by this court. Alligood was also convicted of murder in the first degree in a separate trial in the Circuit Court of Lee County with a recommendation for mercy. He also was sentenced to life imprisonment for his part in this crime.

The following points were stated by the appellant in his brief:

1. Did the court commit reversible error by admitting into evidence a photograph of the dead body of the deceased?
[754]*7542. Did the court commit reversible error by admitting statements of the accused to a witness for the state as a part of the res gestae ?
3. Did the court commit reversible error by permitting the investigator of the sheriff’s department to testify as to incriminating statements made by appellant in violation of his constitutional rights?
4. Did the court commit reversible error by permitting the highway patrolman and the deputy sheriff who apprehended appellant to testify as to incriminating statements made by appellant in violation of his constitutional rights?
5. Did the court commit reversible error by failing to fully and adequately charge the jury as to all elements of the crime with which appellant was charged ?
6. Did the court commit reversible error by denying the motion of appellant for a directed verdict of acquittal ?

We conclude from a study of all of the testimony in this case that no reversible error was committed by the trial court and shall affirm the conviction of the defendant.

There was conflicting evidence in the record but this was- reconciled by the jury against the defendant.

The witness Wilber Wimberly testified that he was employed by the Division of Corrections as a captain of the road prison; that on the 26th day of April, 1965, he had in his custody Robert Earl Williams, Alli-good, Wingard and Jones; that they were sent out on a work detail accompanied by Mr. Lester G. Sumner and Mr. S. W. Scott. He also stated that Wingard, Jones, Alli-good and Williams were wearing their State issue clothes, gray pants with white stripes down the side when they went to work on the morning in question.

Mr. Sam W. Scott was placed on the stand by the State’s Attorney and stated that he was employed by State Road Maintenance as a truck driver for the State Road to take prisoners out to their jobs. He testified that on this day in question Robert Earl Williams, Alligood, Wingard and Jones were carried out to this work job; that Mr. Lester B. Sumner was the guard on duty, and at approximately ten o’clock the prisoners made a break. The following testimony was given by Mr. Scott:

“Q. Please tell us exactly what you saw them do, what you know they did.
“A. Well, one of the boys came up to me. Wingard came up to me and asked me ‘Boss, what time is it?’ I looked at my watch like that. I said ‘It’s five minutes to ten.’ And something hit me in the back of the head.”

Mr. Scott then stated that he did not know who hit him; that Lester B. Sumner was at the back of the trailer; that Robert Earl Williams was in the middle of the highway walking toward Mr. Sumner. He stated that the next thing he noticed was a knife “in my stomach.” He further testified:

“Q. Who put the knife in your stomach ?
“A. Wingard.
“Q. Could you feel it ?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. Could you see it?
“A. Yes, sir.
“Q. What kind of a knife was it ?
“A. It was a long knife. I say the blade was approximately three inches long. I couldn’t tell how long the handle was.
“Q. What did he say when he put this knife to your stomach?
“A. He said, ‘Boss, don’t make no trouble. I don’t want to use this knife.’

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Williams v. State, 199 So. 2d 752, 1967 Fla. App. LEXIS 4923 (Fla. Ct. App. 1967).

199 So. 2d 752 (Williams v. State) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Williams v. State
204 So. 2d 326 (Supreme Court of Florida, 1967)
Alligood v. State
199 So. 2d 767 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1967)