HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2002-06-24 AdvertisementThe report notFs that none
of the reversals re d in the
subsequent arrest convic-
tion of a new suspect.
Seven of the defendants
remain in prison, including
Jgseph "Crazy Joe" Spaziano,
who is serving a life sentence
for rape, though his death sen-
tence in a 1973 Seminole
County murder was over-
turned seven years ago after a
witness recanted testimony.
VARYING OPINIONS
Burt, a longtime death pen-
alty supporter who is running
for state attorney general, said
the report should put to rest
calls from death penalty oppo-
nents for a stop to executions.
"To say these 23 cases are
basis for calling a moratorium
is intellectually dishonest," he
said. "Any objective reading of
these cases should not lead to
that conclusion."
But a pro -death penalty
commission member inter-
preted the report differently.
"If you have one innocent
person convicted with the
potential of being executed,
there is potential that the sys-
tem is broken," said Sen. Wal-
ter "Skip" Campbell, D -Fort
Lauderdale. "I believe very
seriously we should examine
the entire death sentence."
ACCUSATION
Death penalty opponents
accused Burt of using the
report to advance his political
career.
" "It's clear to me that this is
an effort at damage control,"
said Abe Bonowitz,.director of
Floridians for Alternatives to
the Death Penalty. "They know
the public is aware of these
problems, and they're just try-
ing to spin it to save face."
In addition to Burt and
Campbell, the commission
consists of two House mem-
bers, a Republican and a Dem-
ocrat, and a Leon County judge
appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush.
THE FOUR IN QUESTION
The report said the four
defendants whose convictions
were set aside because of ques-
tions about their guilt are:
0 Frank Lee Smith, who was
not executed but died on
Death Row in 2000,11 months
before DNA evidence
excluded him as the perpetra-
tor in the sexual assault of an
8 -year-old Fort Lauderdale girl
gas station attendants in Port
St. Joe. In 1998, the Legislature
awarded them $500,000 each.
The commission's report
did not review the state's most
recently overturned case: Juan
Melendez, who left Death Row
in January after 18 years when
Polk County prosecutors said
they no longer had enough evi-
looking at the cases hard."
Burt contends more criti-
m should be levied at states
sere fewer convictions have
been set aside, such as Califor-
nia, which has set aside four
cases but has about 600 people
on Death Row. Florida, by con-
trast, has 371 people on Death
Row.
r CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ,
NOTICE OF SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING
PLEASE ALL TAKE NOTICE THAT the Miami City
Commission has scheduled a Special Commission meeting to
be held on Monday, June 24, 2002, beginning at 4:45 p.m., in
the City Commission Chambers located at City Hall, 3500 Pan
American Drive, Miami, Florida, to discuss the following
issues:
1. Consideration of a proposed resolution to revoke the
license. agreement with Raceworks, LLC., and
authorize agreement for race -motorsports events in
downtown Miami; and
2. Consideration of proposed execution of amendment
to Memorandum of Understanding with Raceworks,
LLC., for issuance of a permit for a motor sports race
in downtown Miami in October 2002.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., the City Commission will receive
public comment on a proposed ordinance amending and
modifying the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community
Redevelopment Plan by extending the boundaries of the
Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment
Area. The ordinance is titled:
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION,
WITH ATTACHMENTS, AMENDING AND MODIFYING
THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN TO EXTEND
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AREA AS DESCRIBED IN "EXHIBIT
A" AND INCORPORATED HEREIN; AMENDING
CHAPTER 14, ARTICLE V, DIVISION 1, OF THE CODE
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
ENTITLED "DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT,
SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PA R K WEST
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY, GENERALLY", TO
REFLECT THE AMENDMENT AND MODIFICATION OF
THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, MORE
PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 14-252 OF
SAID CODE; CONTAINING A REPEALER PROVISION
AND A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
All interested persons are invited to attend. Any person or
persons, wishing to appeal any decision made by the City
Commission with respect to any matter considered at this
meeting, may require a verbatim record of the proceeding
upon which the appeal is based.
Priscilla A. Thompson
V10869) City Clerk