No. 25-5920

Donald Otis Williams v. Florida

Lower Court: Florida
Docketed: 2025-10-21
Status: Denied
Type: IFP
IFP
Tags: aggravating-factors constitutional-challenge death-penalty first-degree-murder legislative-expansion proportionality-review
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw DueProcess Punishment JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: 2025-12-12
Question Presented (from Petition)

Whether the Florida Legislature's expansion of the applicability of our statute's "aggravating factors" requirements, Section 921.141(6), Florida Statutes (2023), together with the Florida Supreme Court's recent decision in Lawrence v. State, 308 So. 3d 544 (Fla. 2020) completely doing away with proportionality review in all death sentences, has now rendered Florida's entire death penalty scheme unconstitutional as applied, in that it does not sufficiently narrow the class of death-eligible first-degree murders?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Florida Legislature's expansion of 'aggravating factors' and the Florida Supreme Court's elimination of proportionality review has rendered the state's death penalty scheme unconstitutional

Docket Entries

2025-12-15
Petition DENIED.
2025-11-26
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
2025-11-07
Brief of Florida in opposition submitted.
2025-11-07
Brief of respondent Florida in opposition filed.
2025-10-13
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 20, 2025)

Attorneys

Donald Williams
John M. SeldenOffice of the Public Defender, Petitioner
Florida
Scott Andrew BrowneOffice of the Attorney General, Respondent