The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly.  This information; however, is subject to change and may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not be relied upon for statistical or legal purposes. 

 

LOTT, Ken Eldon (W/M)

DC#    026985

DOB:  02/14/53

 

Ninth Judicial Circuit, Orange County Case# 94-4667

Sentencing Judge:  The Honorable Dorothy J. Russell

Attorney, Trial:  Douglas T. Huie – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Direct Appeal:  George D.E. Burden – Assistant Public Defender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals:  Christopher J. Anderson – Registry

 

Date of Offense:  03/27/94

Date of Sentence:  06/23/95

 

Circumstances of Offense:

 

Ken Eldon Lott was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death on 06/23/95.

 

Rose Connors was found unclothed and murdered in the master bedroom of her estate on the morning of 03/28/94.  Connors was severely beaten and suffered from other serious wounds such as a stab wound in the back, a fractured larynx, and a slashed throat.  According to medical examiners, the actual cause of death was the injury to Connors’ neck, which severed the jugular vein.  There was no real evidence of sexual battery, except a few bruises on Connors’ thigh area, suggesting that her legs were being forced apart.

 

Prior to the murder, Lott provided lawn services for Connors at her home.  On the day of the murder (which occurred some time between 03/26/94-03/27/94), Lott and Raymond Fuller intended to rob Connors when they ran out of money and were not able to buy drugs.  Together, they devised a plan to rob Connors whereby Fuller was the designated robber and Lott was the designated driver.  During the robbery, Lott and Fuller were under the influence of “crystal meth” and cocaine.  The robbery did not go as planned once Connors escaped from Fuller and scurried out of her house.  She was instantly caught and dragged back into her home by Lott, who was hiding in some bushes outside her home.  According to Lott, he beat Connors because she was retaliating like a “maniac” and had to kill her because she could identify him and would be sent to prison as a result.  After murdering Connors, Lott and Fuller left her home with a diamond tennis bracelet.  Later in the evening, Lott returned to the scene of the crime to clean up. 

 

Lott was discovered a few months after the incident when his friend, Robert Whitman, contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.  According to Whitman, he met with Lott some time after the incident when Lott approached him and offered to sell him a gold ring and a diamond tennis bracelet.  During the meeting, Lott admitted to Connors’ murder with Fuller as his accomplice.  Lott was arrested in May of 1994, when Whitman and the Sheriff’s Department devised a plan, in which Whitman and Lott would meet regarding the stolen jewelry.

 

Prior to trial, Lott testified that Whitman lied in his story about murdering Connors.  Lott further discussed that Whitman was setting him up and sought revenge because, in the past, Whitman had gotten into trouble with the law because of Lott.  Although Lott admitted to using Connors’ ATM card and the PIN number, Lott claimed that it was given to him by Whitman and had no knowledge that it was stolen, especially from Connors.  According to the testimonies of the coworkers of Lott’s wife, Lott’s wife was seen wearing a diamond tennis bracelet at work one day, subsequent to Connors’ death.

 

Codefendant Information:

 

Raymond Fuller (DC# 625386)

 

Fuller was not mentioned in the course of Lott’s indictment and there is no evidence of whether he was caught or tried for the same offense.

 

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

 

Prior Prison History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of incarceration with the Florida Dept. of Corrections since January of 1983)

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Prison Sentence Length

 

 

03/16/1984

GRAND THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE

06/25/1985

POLK

8401028

5Y 0M 0D

 

 

12/02/1984

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

06/25/1985

POLK

8404198

20Y 0M 0D

 

 

12/02/1984

ROBB. GUN/DEADLY WPN

06/25/1985

POLK

8404199

20Y 0M 0D

 

 

 

Prior Community Supervision History: (Note: Data reflected covers periods of community supervision with the Florida Dept. of Corrections since January of 1983)

Offense Date

Offense

Sentence Date

County

Case No.

Community Supervision Length

 

 

03/16/1984

GRAND THEFT MOTOR VEHICLE

10/25/1984

POLK

8401028

2Y 0M 0D

 

 

03/16/1984

GRAND THEFT,$300 LESS &20,000

06/25/1985

POLK

8401028

5Y 0M 0D

 

 

03/16/1984

GRAND THEFT,$300 LESS &20,000

06/25/1985

POLK

8401028

5Y 0M 0D

 

 

 

 

Trial Summary:

 

05/20/94          Lott was indicted as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder   

04/28/95          Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

04/28/95          Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0

06/23/95          Lott was sentenced as follows:

                                    Count I:           First-Degree Murder – Death

 

Appeal Summary:

 

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC# 86,108

695 So 2d 1239

 

07/20/95          Appeal filed

05/22/97          FSC affirmed convictions and death sentence

06/03/97          Rehearing filed

06/20/97          Rehearing denied

07/21/97          Mandate issued

 

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari

USSC# 97-6099

522 U.S. 986

 

09/18/97          Petition filed

11/17/97          Petition denied

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC# 94-4667

 

09/21/98          Motion filed

10/31/01          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal

FSC# 02-112

839 So. 2d 698

 

01/16/02          Appeal filed

02/19/03          Appeal reversed and remanded

 

State Circuit Court – 3.853 Motion (DNA)

CC# 94-4667

 

05/23/03          Motion filed

12/04/03          Motion denied

 

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion (on remand)

CC# 94-4667

 

07/28/04          Evidentiary hearing held

08/04/04          Motion denied

 

Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal (combined with 3.853 Appeal (DNA)  

FSC# 04-1814

931 So.2d 807 (2006)

 

09/13/04          Appeal filed

04/13/06          FSC affirmed the trial court’s denial of Lott’s 3.850 Motion and 3.853 Motion (DNA)

06/02/06          Rehearing denied

06/19/06          Mandate issued

 

United States District Court, Middle District – Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus

USDC# 06-778

 

06/08/06          Petition filed

07/20/09          Petition denied

09/03/09          Application for Certificate of Appealability filed

10/07/09          Application denied

 

United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – Habeas Corpus Appeal

USCA# 09-14196

594 F.3d 1296

 

08/10/09          Appeal filed

01/25/10          Certificate of Appealability denied

 

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition of the Sentence:

 

Lott’s initial 3.850 Motion was under consideration for three years before it was disposed.  Furthermore, the appeal required nearly an additional year as the Florida Supreme Court reversed the denial and remanded case for the purpose of conducting an evidentiary hearing on all issues raised on Direct Appeal. 

 

Case Information:

 

During his Direct Appeal on 07/20/95, Lott’s sentence and conviction were affirmed by the Florida Supreme Court.  The Court denied a rehearing on 06/20/97 and issued a mandate on 07/21/97.

 

On 09/18/97, Lott filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 11/17/97.

 

Lott filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court on 09/21/98, which was denied on 10/31/01.

 

On 01/16/02, Lott filed a 3.850 Appeal, which was reversed and remanded on 02/19/03 by the Florida Supreme Court.  The Court reversed the order and remanded the case for the purpose of conducting an evidentiary hearing on all issues raised on appeal. 

 

On 05/23/03, Lott filed a 3.853 Motion (DNA) to the Circuit Court.  Lott requested a DNA testing of (1) hairs found on the victim’s shower drain and bed pillow; (2) the victim’s fingernails; (3) the pliers found at the scene; and (4) the sheets, pillows, panties, vaginal and anal swabs of the victim, and fecal matter, primarily in search for sperm.  The Circuit Court denied the Motion on 12/04/03.

 

Lott filed a 3.850 Motion to the Circuit Court.  Evidentiary hearing was held on 07/28/04.  The motion was denied on 08/04/04.

 

On 09/13/04, Lott filed a 3.850 Appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, which was combined with the Lott’s 3.853 Appeal (DNA).  On 04/13/06, the Court affirmed the trial court’s denial of Lott’s 3.850 Motion, and the Court affirmed the trial court’s ruling that Lott cannot obtain DNA testing based on the speculative allegations in his 3.853 Motion.  On 06/02/06, the rehearing was denied.  The mandate was issued on 06/19/06.

 

On 06/08/06, Lott filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus to the United States District Court, Middle District.  This petition was denied on 07/20/09. An application for a Certificate of Appealability was filed on 09/03/09, and it was denied on 10/07/09.

 

Lott filed a Habeas Corpus Appeal in the United States Court of Appeals on 08/10/09. Lott’s Certificate of Appealability was denied on 01/25/10.

 

Institutional Adjustment:

                 

DATE

DAYS

VIOLATION

LOCATION

09/05/00

90

UNAUTH PHY. CONTACT

UNION C. I.

05/23/01

60

DISOBEYING ORDER

UNION C. I.

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

Report Date:     11/10/04          NRC

Approved:        11/10/04          JFL

Updated:          12/07/10          EMJ