Sweet v. State

The Supreme Court affirmed the postconviction court’s order denying, after an evidentiary hearing, Appellant’s sixth successive motion for postconviction relief based on a claim of newly discovered evidence, holding that Appellant was not entitled to relief on his claims.Appellant was convicted of first-degree murder and other crimes. Appellant was sentenced to death. The Supreme Court affirmed on appeal. Appellant later filed his sixth successive motion for postconviction relief based on newly discovered evidence. The newly discovered evidence was an affidavit executed by a Florida state prisoner, who attested that Appellant did not commit the crimes. The postconviction court denied relief after a one-day evidentiary hearing. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the postconviction court (1) did not err in admitting an arrest record showing that the prisoner was arrested five days before Appellant’s offenses; (2) did not err in finding that certain testimony was not credible; and (3) did not misapply the standard set forth in Jones v. State, 591 So. 2d 911 (Fla. 1991) for newly discovered evidence. View "Sweet v. State" on Justia Law