ÿWPC[ Tƒ¥ïôTÌÃÎJç´$ûâãúEzí^õ"p$}ÍZ@%¢IÂFþã$=Á˜‹¤_5³Kçù*Fò~(z‹µ¿ñ¾{”0àמ®€ª/°™83Ý;451Ó±:b†÷ò8Œ¡ìeF’R¹ÙÖOZ|bé¤Ûÿ"²Èt2;nΡÛéxNêå>Ä>Pu‡Çþx8êÇ ÀêÑZªÛy@ìŸÿö3cöÁ·Jë2þz¹,gšsÔ82;”Ó&~kf{rås=?À¿T2¶Æv!3™Ü¡$æ·ÌÓµ7õS‡&ýð˜$¥ñˆŠ«Û2sÅ´„Žõ¡æ%Š  Åës«¼)Ÿ¯-ËðŽŸÉ|Vžú[‘‘‡è!˜SÃýz&Æ`yá°°8üxc÷”F£XE!ÛXÙKÒÎŒEiürTHãñIÉÞ8 )8ýZ8Ç5 è÷l%Hκeà_±šL>“„ú¼§/u¼ëîÄ£ YLº*Ù\nÕå ø°^ÜušË’˜Uõx߆ P2ø¹+Ði,°´ØÛ!Þ¦)}áö:–í n×Càâ8ꕼôdû½|^~^ÍÞ«þfÑo×^èŸõT v,®uf%mäbÑ‹«œ‹}Ù– Ì:#É,UNõ %C 0(IMq 01u 0=¦ 0Èã 0>« 0Êé 0´³ 0´g 0a 0´| 0´0 09ä 0Ü 02ù 0ü+ 0:' 0…a 0_æ 0 E 0kO 0Ǻ B* D3« CÞ D+ø 0Ç# 0çê 06Ñ 0 0: 0hI 0F±U6÷U >-U*k^ •w¡4¥¹È mÊMáMåMéMíMñMõ(ùN!!!#"9˜HP LaserJet 4100 PCL 6ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX($¡¡0ÿÿ.Normal<ÿÿ:Definition T<GDÿÿ:Definition LÓ , ÓÓ;1ܰÜ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#;ÓÓ  ÓÓ8.°°` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#8Ó8ÿÿ6Definitionòòóó('zÿÿ&H1ò òÔ  ÔÔ‡°°°Ôó óÔ  ÔÔ‡XXXÔ(oÿÿ&H2ò òÔ‡„„„Ôó óÔ‡XXXÔ(oÿÿ&H3ò òÔ‡¼¼¼Ôó óÔ‡XXXÔ(ÿÿ&H4ò òÔ‡XXXÔó óÔ‡XXXÔ(oÿÿ&H5ò òÔ‡ôôôÔó óÔ‡XXXÔ(oÿÿ&H6ò òÔ‡Ôó óÔ‡XXXÔ2ÿÿ0Addressòòóó8SPÿÿ6BlockquoteÓ , ÓÓ , ÓÓ;1ܰÜ` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#;ÓÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ8.°°` ¸ hÀpÈ xÐ (#8Ó,ÿÿ*CITEòòóó,dlÿÿ*CODEÔ‡ôôôÔÔK‡%<þ6X9`(Courier NewKÔÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔ4ÿÿ2Emphasisòòóó6&)ÿÿ4HyperlinkÔ  ÔÔ  ÔòòÔ ÿ ÔóóÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ  Ô<ÿÿ:FollowedHypeòòÔ €€ ÔóóÔ  Ô4goÿÿ2Keyboardò òÔ‡ôôôÔÔK‡%<þ6X9`(Courier NewKÔó óÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔ<“›ÿÿ:PreformattedÓ/%° °Ïî ,KkŠ©È (#/ÓÔ‡ôôôÔÔK‡%<þ6X9`(Courier NewKÔÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔÓ/%° °Ïî ,KkŠ©È (#/Ó<ÃÇÿÿ:z©Bottom of ÓI€4$À˜ ** €€d€dIÓÓ  ÓÔB  ÔÔ € ÔÔ‡ÔÔ?‡'%ä2¼A`Arial?ÔÓ9€*À  €€d€d9ÓÓ  ÓÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔÔ € Ô&ÿÿ0 d d'þÿÈÈÈÈdxd÷ÿdÿÿÿd'ÈÈÈÈdxd<ÃÇÿÿ:z©Top of ForÓI€4$À˜** €€d€dIÓÓ  ÓÔB  ÔÔ € ÔÔ‡ÔÔ?‡'%ä2¼A`Arial?ÔÓ9€*À  €€d€d9ÓÓ  ÓÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔÔ € Ô0Klÿÿ.SampleÔK‡%<þ6X9`(Courier NewKÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔ0ÿÿ.Strongò òó ó8dlÿÿ6TypewriterÔ‡ôôôÔÔK‡%<þ6X9`(Courier NewKÔÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡&ô\  `&Times New RomanSÔ4ÿÿ2Variableòòóó:ÿÿ8HTML MarkupÔB  ÔÔ ÿ ÔÔ  Ô2 ÿÿ0CommentÔB  Ô<þ6X9`(Courier Newô\  `&Times New Roman%ä2¼A`Arialã+8. +•-iles3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ Ñ   Ñ Ñ   ÑÑ „ ÑÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑTRXì3Ø'LetterXà3Ø' Letter3Ø'LetterXà3Ø' Letterÿ3Ø'LetterTÑÑ„°ÑÑ °ÑÔ‡¼·ô»XXÔÔ‡&¼·ô»»¼·ôÔÑ8€þ°XXdìdÈ8ÑÑ€8ÏLÑÑ€9ŒHÑà@ë ë ìàSUMMARY€OF€RUDOLPH€HOLTON'S€CASEÔ#†&Xþ°X»&¼·ô›#ÔÔ#†Xþ°XX&Xþ°º#Ô€ˆÐ „ ÐÌMr.€Holton's€conviction€and€sentence€of€death€was€based€on€untruthful€testimony€by€the€State'sÐ ‚þ Ðwitnesses,€suppression€of€exculpatory€evidence,€junk€science,€and€a€prosecutor€who€misled€theÐ nê Ðjury.€The€State's€case€fell€apart€in€postconviction.€Today€there€is€not€a€shred€of€evidence€linkingÐ ZÖ ÐMr.€Holton€to€Katrina€Graddy's€murder.€In€fact,€evidence€has€developed€which€indicates€that€anÐ F Ðindividual€named€David€Pearson€aka€"Pine"€actually€committed€the€murder.€Ð 2 ® ÐÌOn€the€evening€of€June€22,€1986,€Katrina€Graddy€and€her€friend€Pam€went€to€Nebraska€AvenueÐ  † Ðin€order€to€buy€drugs€and€turn€tricks€(prostitution).€At€around€midnight,€Katrina€entered€the€car€ofÐ ö r  Ða€black€male.€Pam€did€not€see€Katrina€again€that€night.€In€the€early€morning€hours€of€June€23,Ð â ^  Ð1986,€Katrina€Graddy's€body€was€found€in€an€abandoned€house€on€Scott€Street.€Katrina€had€beenÐ Î J  Ðsexually€assaulted€and€her€attacker€had€set€the€house€on€fire.€Ð º6  ÐÌIn€June,€1986,€Rudolph€Holton€was€a€drug€addict€who€stole€in€order€to€support€his€habit.€HisÐ ’  Ðrecord€included€several€convictions€for€burglary€and€drug€possession€and€his€only€conviction€forÐ ~ú  Ðviolence€occurred€when€he€fought€with€another€individual€over€some€change€in€a€dice€game.Ð jæ ÐWithin€twenty„four€hours€of€the€time€the€police€found€Katrina's€body,€Rudolph€Holton€wasÐ VÒ Ðarrested€and€charged€with€first„degree€murder€and€related€charges.€Ð B¾ ÐÌThe€state€relied€on€three€lay€witnesses€to€convict€Rudolph€Holton:€Johnny€Newsome,€CarlÐ – ÐSchenck€€and€Flemmie€Birkins.€€First,€Mr.€Newsome€testified€at€trial€that€he€had€seen€Mr.Ð ‚ ÐHolton,€with€Katrina€Graddy,€near€the€crime€scene€on€the€night€of€the€murder.€€However.€Mr.Ð òn ÐNewsome€testified€in€April€of€2001€that€he€lied€at€Mr.€Holton's€trial.€He€said€he€was€afraid€that€ifÐ ÞZ Ðhe€didn't€point€the€finger€at€someone€else€the€police€may€try€to€lay€the€blame€on€him.€RecordsÐ ÊF Ðindicate€that€Mr.€Newsome€had€been€charged€with€several€crimes€prior€to€Mr.€Holton's€trial.€Mr.Ð ¶2 ÐNewsome€lied€about€his€then„pending€criminal€charges€when€questioned€at€trial€about€receivingÐ ¢ Ðfavorable€treatment€in€exchange€for€his€testimony.€Mr.€Newsome€also€testified,€in€April€2001,Ð Ž  Ðthat€he€was€afraid€of€the€police.€Ð zö ÐÌOn€the€morning€that€Katrina's€body€was€found,€Carl€Schenck,€a€white€man€who€traveled€toÐ RÎ ÐTampa€with€a€hitchhiker€he€picked€up€the€night€before€in€St.€Petersburg,€was€asleep€in€his€carÐ > º Ðacross€the€street€from€the€vacant€house.€Mr.€Schenck€testified€at€trial€that€Mr.€Holton€resembledÐ *!¦  Ðthe€individual€he€dropped€off€in€the€area;€he€identified€Mr.€Holton€by€his€"shaving€bumps"€andÐ "’! Ð"frizzy€hair".€However,€Mr.€Schenck€testified€in€April€of€2001€that€after€reviewing€the€sameÐ #~" Ðphotograph€of€Rudolph€Holton€and€a€1986€photograph€of€the€individual€known€as€"Pine,"€it€wasÐ î#j # Ð"Pine"€who€more€closely€resembled€the€hitchhiker€he€picked€up€and€dropped€off€in€front€of€theÐ Ú$V!$ Ðscene€of€the€murder.€Mr.€Schenck€had€not€been€shown€a€photograph€of€"Pine"€prior€to€April,Ð Æ%B"% Ð2001.€Ð ²&.#& ÐÌAt€trial,€the€State€also€presented€a€jailhouse€informant,€Flemmie€Birkins,€who€claimed€that€Mr.Ð Š(%( ÐHolton€confessed€the€crime€to€him€while€they€were€together€in€the€county€jail.€Additionally,€Mr.Ð v)ò%) ÐBirkins€testified€that€he€received€"minor"€consideration€for€the€testimony€he€provided€against€Mr.Ð b*Þ&* ÐHolton.€Mr.€Birkins€informed€the€jury€that€he€was€facing€a€three„and„one„half€to€four„and„one„Ð N+Ê'+ Ðhalf€year€sentence€for€the€crimes€for€which€he€was€charged,€but€he€was€getting€a€sentence€of€threeÐ :,¶(, Ðyears.€Thus,€the€jury€heard€that€the€jailhouse€informant€was€receiving€a€six€month€benefit€for€hisÐ &-¢)- Ðtestimony.€Ð .Ž*. ÐÑ8ÏLÑâ 8âÑ  Ñâ 8âÑ  ÑÌHowever,€Mr.€Birkins€testified€in€April€of€2001€that€he€lied€at€Mr.€Holton's€trial€and€revealed€thatÐ pì ÐMr.€Holton€never€confessed€to€killing€Ms.€Graddy.€In€fact,€a€police€report€in€the€case€reflects€thatÐ \Ø ÐMr.€Holton€was€not€in€the€jail€at€the€time€he€was€allegedly€confessing€to€Mr.€Birkins.€Instead,€Mr.Ð HÄ ÐHolton€was€providing€a€statement€to€the€detectives€at€the€police€station.€Ð 4° ÐÌMr.€Birkins€explained€that€he€lied€in€order€to€gain€the€favor€of€the€prosecutor€and,€in€exchange,Ð  ˆ Ðgain€favorable€sentencing€consideration€for€the€charges€that€were€then„pending€against€him.€ItÐ ø t Ðwas€also€presented,€in€April€of€2001,€that€Mr.€Birkins€was€not€facing€three„and„one„half€to€four„Ð ä ` Ðand„one„half€years€in€prison,€as€he€told€the€jury,€but€in€fact€he€was€facing€nine€to€twelve€years€inÐ Ð L  Ðprison€on€his€charges.€Ð ¼ 8  ÐÌMr.€Birkins€was€sentenced€not€long€after€Rudolph€Holton€was€convicted€and€sentenced€to€death.Ð ”  ÐAt€Mr.€Birkins'€sentencing,€the€assistant€state€attorney€who€prosecuted€Mr.€Holton,€Joe€Episcopo,Ð €ü  Ðappeared€and€asked€that€the€judge€depart€from€the€recommended€guidelines€because€of€Mr.Ð lè  ÐBirkins'€cooperation.€Mr.€Birkins€was€released€from€jail€approximately€one€month€after€RudolphÐ XÔ  ÐHolton€was€convicted€and€sentenced€to€death,€and€served€a€five€year€term€on€probation.€Ð DÀ ÐÌAt€trial,€the€State€relied€on€two€pieces€of€physical€evidence:€a€finger€print€on€a€cigarette€pack€andÐ ˜ Ðhairs€found€on€Katrina€Graddy's€mouth.€€First,€the€existence€of€a€cigarette€pack€with€Mr.€Holton'sÐ „ Ðfingerprint€on€it€came€as€no€surprise€due€to€the€fact€that€Mr.€Holton,€like€many€other€addicts,Ð ôp Ðentered€the€vacant€house€in€order€to€use€drugs.€€Second,€the€State€presented€an€FBI€agent€toÐ à\ Ðtestify€that€three€hairs€which€were€found€on€the€victim's€mouth€could€have€been€Mr.€Holton'sÐ ÌH Ðbody€hair€and€that€Mr.€Holton€could€not€be€excluded€from€being€the€source€of€the€hairs.€TheÐ ¸4 Ðprosecutor€argued€in€his€closing€argument€that€the€hair€could€not€have€been€from€the€victim.€ThisÐ ¤  Ðhair€evidence,€which€the€State€argued€linked€Mr.€Holton€to€the€crime,€has€since€been€analyzedÐ   Ðusing€mitochondrial€DNA€and€excludes€Mr.€Holton€as€the€depositor€of€the€hair.€The€DNAÐ |ø Ðmatched€the€victim.€Ð hä ÐÌAt€trial,€Mr.€Holton€presented€an€alibi.€Solodon€Clemmons€testified€that€on€the€night€of€June€23,Ð @¼ Ð1986,€Mr.€Holton€arrived€at€his€rooming€house€around€10:00€p.m.€and€went€to€bed.€Mr.Ð ,¨ ÐClemmons€told€the€jury€that€Mr.€Holton€did€not€leave€during€the€night€and€was€in€bed€at€6:00Ð  ” Ða.m.€the€next€morning.€Ð !€  ÐÌAlso,€Mr.€Holton's€trial€attorney€wanted€to€present€the€testimony€of€the€victim's€friend,€Pam.Ð Ü"X" ÐEven€though€Pam€was€properly€subpoenaed€to€testify,€she€failed€to€appear€at€the€trial.€Mr.Ð È#D # ÐHolton's€trial€attorney€requested€a€continuance€so€that€she€could€secure€Pam's€presence,€but€theÐ ´$0!$ Ðtrial€judge€denied€the€request.€The€judge€allowed€the€jury€to€hear€part€of€Pam's€deposition€„„€butÐ  %"% Ðonly€the€part€about€Katrina's€departing€with€a€man,€who€was€not€Mr.€Holton,€and€never€returning.Ð Œ&#& ÐThe€jury€did€not€hear€that€Pam€also€had€knowledge€and€testified€in€her€deposition€about€a€rapeÐ x'ô#' Ðthat€occurred€in€the€vacant€house€about€a€week€before€the€murder.€According€to€Pam,€KatrinaÐ d(à$( Ðidentified€"Pine,"€a€drug€dealer€from€the€neighborhood,€as€the€rapist.€Ð P)Ì%) ÐÌIn€April€of€2001,€Mr.€Holton€presented€a€police€report€that€was€not€disclosed€to€him€until€MarchÐ (+¤'+ Ðof€2001.€This€report€reflected€a€"Katrina€Grant,"€with€Katrina€Graddy's€birthdate€and€living€atÐ ,(, ÐKatrina€Graddy's€address,€had€in€fact€reported€that€she€had€been€raped€by€an€individual€she€knewÐ -|)- Ðas€"Pine"€on€June€13,€1986.€The€police€determined€who€"Pine"€was€and€arrested€him.€He€gave€aÐ ì-h*. Ðfalse€name,€Donald€Smith.€His€real€name€was€David€Pearson.€Two€complaints€were€filled€out€byÐ Ø.T+/ ÐÑ9ŒHÑâ 9âÑ  ÑÑ„„Ñâ 9âÑ  Ñthe€police;€one€for€rape€and€one€for€obstruction€by€giving€a€false€name.€However,€KatrinaÐ „ Ðdecided€to€not€prosecute€and€the€charges€were€dropped.€Katrina's€step„father€confirmed,€during€aÐ pì Ðpre„trial€deposition,€that€Katrina€told€him€she€was€raped€by€"Pine"€and€he€provided€the€nameÐ \Ø Ð"Donald"€when€the€police€arrived€to€investigate.€Ð HÄ ÐÌIn€April€of€2001,€Donald€Smith€testified€that€about€ten€days€before€her€death,€Katrina€Ô_ÔGraddyÔ_ÔÐ  œ Ðcame€to€him€and€told€him€that€"Pine"€had€given€his€name€to€the€police€when€he€was€arrested€forÐ  ˆ Ðraping€her.€Mr.€Smith€and€Katrina€went€to€confront€"Pine"€together.€A€nasty€argument€occurredÐ ø t Ðand€"Pine"€made€threats€toward€Katrina.€Ð ä ` ÐÌMr.€Smith€also€explained€to€the€court€that€on€the€day€of€the€homicide,€he€noticed€the€house€whereÐ ¼ 8  Ðthe€body€was€found€was€on€fire.€As€he€headed€in€that€direction,€he€saw€"Pine"€who€told€himÐ ¨ $  Ðsomeone€had€strangled€Katrina.€When€Mr.€Smith€got€to€the€house,€he€asked€the€police€who€hadÐ ”  Ðstrangled€Katrina.€He€was€immediately€questioned€about€this€because€no€one€at€the€time€shouldÐ €ü  Ðhave€known€that€there€was€a€woman€strangled€inside€the€burning€house.€Mr.€Smith€did€notÐ lè  Ðdisclose€the€basis€for€his€knowledge,€although€his€name€and€address€were€taken€for€follow€up.€AÐ XÔ  Ðpolice€report€confirms€this€occurrence€„€a€police€report€that€was€not€provided€to€Mr.€Holton's€trialÐ DÀ Ðattorney.€Ð 0¬ ÐÌMoreover,€Mr.€Smith€testified€in€2001€that€several€months€later€he€had€a€conversation€withÐ „ Ð"Pine."€He€explained€that€"Pine"€confessed€at€that€time€that€he€had€killed€Katrina.Ð ôp ÐÌAfter€the€evidentiary€hearing,€the€State€interviewed€David€Pearson€Ô_ÔakaÔ_Ô€"Pine."€Mr.€Pearson'sÐ ÌH Ðstatement€was€given€under€oath€to€the€state€attorney€and€police€(Mr.€Holton's€counsel€was€notÐ ¸4 Ðpresent).€Mr.€Pearson€admitted€to€the€events€that€occurred€on€June€13,€1986,€even€telling€theÐ ¤  Ðpolice€and€prosecutor€that€he€battered€Ms.€Ô_ÔGraddyÔ_Ô€for€stealing€his€drugs,€but€he€maintained€thatÐ   Ðhe€did€not€rape€Ms.€Ô_ÔGraddyÔ_Ô€but€instead€engaged€in€consensual€anal€sex.€Mr.€Pearson€deniedÐ |ø Ðkilling€Ms.€Ô_ÔGraddyÔ_Ô.Ð hä ÐÌFollowing€the€April€2001€evidentiary€hearing,€published€interviews€revealed€that€the€trialÐ @¼ Ðprosecutor€had€a€change€of€heart.€€An€6/26/01€article€in€the€St.€Petesburg€Times€reported,€€ð ðððIt's€aÐ ,¨ Ðshaky€case,ðð€said€defense€attorney€Joe€Episcopo,€a€former€prosecutor€who€won€the€convictionÐ  ” Ðagainst€Holton€in€1986.€ððIt's€a€problem€for€them.ðð"€According€to€a€6/26/01€article€in€the€TampaÐ !€  ÐTribune,€ð ðTampa€lawyer€Joe€Episcopo,€who€prosecuted€Holton,€said€that€the€informant€was€theÐ ð!l! Ðstate's€strongest€witness.€ððNow,€even€I€have€second€thoughts€about€this€case,ðð€Ô_ÔEpiscopoÔ_Ô€saidÐ Ü"X" ÐMonday.€€According€to€an€11/03/01€article€in€the€St.€Petersburg€Times,€ð ðFifteen€years€later,€evenÐ È#D # ÐÔ_ÔEpiscopoÔ_Ô€said€he€doesn't€find€the€case€convincing.€DNA€tests€show€that€the€hair€did€not€comeÐ ´$0!$ Ðfrom€Holton.€The€jail€informant€admitted€he€lied,€and€other€witnesses€changed€their€stories€too.ððÐ  %"% ÐÌOn€November€2,€2001,€the€lower€court€granted€Mr.€Holton€a€new€trial€based€on€the€StateððððsÐ x'ô#' Ðinadvertent€failure€to€disclose€material,€exculpatory€evidence.€On€November€13,€2001,€the€StateÐ d(à$( Ðappealed€the€lower€courtððs€order.€Briefs€were€submitted€to€the€Florida€Supreme€Court.€OnÐ P)Ì%) ÐDecember€12,€2002,€Mr.€Holtonððs€case€was€argued€to€the€Florida€Supreme€Court.€Justice€Ô_ÔParienteÔ_ÔÐ <*¸&* Ðstated€that€the€case€"troubled€her"€and€that€it€"comes€close€to€one€of€the€strongest€cases€ofÐ (+¤'+ Ðpotential€for€actual€innocence€that€[she]€had€seen".€On€December€18,€2002,€the€Florida€SupremeÐ ,(, ÐCourt€affirmed€the€order€granting€Mr.€Holton€a€new€trial.€Ð -|)- ÐÌAfter€16€years€on€Florida's€death€row,€Mr.€Holton€is€awaiting€his€new€trial€or€release€from€prison.