The Commission on Capital Cases updates thisinformation regularly. This information, however, is subject to changeand may not reflect the latest status of an inmate’s case and should not berelied on for statistical or legal purposes.
COLEMAN, Michael (B/M)
DC # 067457
DOB: 07/24/61
First Judicial Circuit, Escambia County, Case #89-01139
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Nickolas P. Geeker
Trial Attorney: Ted A. Stokes – Private
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Ted A. Stokes – Private
Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Harry Brody – Registry
Date of Offense: 09/19/88
Date of Sentence: 09/29/89
Circumstances of Offense:
Pensacola members of the “Miami Boys,” a statewide drugorganization, placed a safe containing drugs and money in the home of MichaelMcCormick. McCormick’s neighbors, Derrick Hill and Morris Douglas stolethe safe from him. In order to keep the location of the stolen goodsunknown, Hill and Douglas then gave the drugs and money to Darlene Crenshaw.
On 09/19/88, Michael Coleman, Timothy Robinson, BruceFrazier, and Michael McCormick, members of the “Miami Boys,” busted into Hilland Douglas’ apartment in search of the stolen goods. Darlene Crenshawand Amanda Merrell were also in the apartment visiting Hill and Douglas. Coleman and his associates then forced all the apartment’s inhabitants tocompletely strip, after which he tied them up with electrical cord. Darrell Frazier then arrived with Mildred Baker, McCormick’s girlfriend. Robinson ordered the captives to relinquish the stolen drugs, and when no onespoke up, he began stabbing Hill. Crenshaw stated that she could takethem to the drugs, and left with Bruce and Darrell Frazier. Coleman andRobinson then raped both Merrell and Baker.
After showing the Fraziers to the drugs and money, Crenshawescaped. When the Fraziers returned to Hill and Douglas’ apartment,Coleman and Robinson slashed and shot their five captives, including McCormick,and then all four men left. Despite being shot in the head and having herthroat slashed, Merrell survived the attack and summoned police. Theother four prisoners died at the scene.
Merrell and Crenshaw were able to identify Coleman fromphotographs, which aided authorities in their search for the defendant. The Pensacola Sheriff’s Department arrested Coleman on 02/14/89.
Codefendant Information:
Timothy Robinson was sentenced to death for his part in themurders on 09/26/89.
Robinson was convicted of First-Degree Murder, AttemptedMurder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Sexual Battery, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglaryand Conspiracy to Traffic.
Bruce Frazier was convicted of Second-Degree Murder,Attempted Murder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, andConspiracy to Traffic. Frazier was sentenced to 30 years for Traffickingand 50 years for each of the other convictions.
Darrell Frazier was convicted and sentenced to life forFirst-Degree Murder, Second-Degree Murder, Armed Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, andArmed Burglary. He was sentenced to 30 years for Second-Degree Murder andConspiracy to Traffic.
Prior Incarceration in the State of Florida:
| Offense Date | Offense | Sentence Date | County | Case No. | Prison Sentence Length |
| 11/25/1978 | KIDNAP;COMM.OR FAC.FELONY | 02/02/1979 | MIAMI-DADE | | 5Y 0M 0D |
| 12/23/1983 | ROBBERY N/FIREARM OR D/WEAPON | 02/14/1985 | BROWARD | 8313503 | 4Y 6M 0D |
| 06/18/1984 | TRAFFICKING IN COCAINE | 03/05/1985 | MIAMI-DADE | 8414185 | 4Y 0M 0D |
| 09/01/1991 | **AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM | 01/21/1992 | BRADFORD | 9100549 | 15Y 0M 0D |
NOTE: On 01/21/92, Michael Coleman was sentenced to 15 years for an AggravatedBattery that occurred while he was incarcerated in the Florida prison systemfor the aforementioned quadruple homicide.
Trial Summary:
02/14/89 Defendant arrested.
02/28/89 Defendant indicted.
05/23/89 Amended indictment filed, charging:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: First-DegreeMurder
CountIII: First-Degree Murder
Count IV: First-Degree Murder
Count V: Attempted Murder
Count VI: Armed Kidnapping
Count VII: Armed Kidnapping
Count VIII: Armed Kidnapping
Count IX: Armed Kidnapping
Count X: Armed Kidnapping
Count XI: Armed Kidnapping
Count XII: Armed Sexual Battery
Count XIII: Armed Sexual Battery
Count XIV: Conspiracy to Traffic
Count XV: Armed Burglary
Count XVI: Armed Robbery
Count XVII: Armed Robbery
06/01/89 The defendant was found guilty on all counts.
06/02/89 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 6 to 6 count, voted for life
imprisonment.
09/29/89 Judge Geeker overrode the jury’s recommendation of life and the
defendant wassentenced as followed:
Count I: First-Degree Murder Death
Count II: First-DegreeMurder Death
CountIII: First-DegreeMurder Death
Count IV: First-DegreeMurder Death
Count V: AttemptedMurder 30 Years
Count VI: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count VII: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count VIII: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count IX: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count X: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count XI: ArmedKidnapping Life
Count XII: Armed SexualBattery Life
Count XIII: Armed Sexual Battery Life
Count XIV: Conspiracy toTraffic 30 Years
Count XV: ArmedBurglary Life
Count XVI: ArmedRobbery Life
Count XVII: Armed Robbery Life
Appeal Summary:
Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal
FSC #74,944
610 So. 2d 1283
10/30/89 Appeal filed.
12/24/92 FSC affirmed the convictions and sentence of death.
12/24/92 Rehearing denied.
01/22/93 Mandate issued.
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ of Certiorari
USSC #93-5635
510 U.S. 921
08/17/93 Petition filed.
10/12/93 Petition denied.
State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC #89-1139
03/24/97 Motion filed.
02/03/00 Amended motion filed.
07/16/04 Motion denied.
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 and 3.203 Motion Appeal
FSC# 04-1520
(Pending)
08/02/04 3.850 Appeal filed.
04/18/05 Motion to relinquish to trial court for3.203 (determination of mental
retardation)
09/23/05 Relinquished to trial court for EvidentiaryHearing on mental retardation
claim.
09/06/07 3.203 Appeal filed.
State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion
CC #89-1139
04/21/05 Motion filed.
08/01/07 Motion denied.
State Circuit Court – 3.203 Motion (Relinquished fromFSC)
CC #89-1139
09/28/05 Motion filed.
08/28/07 Motion denied.
Florida Supreme Court –Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus
FSC# 09-92
01/21/09 Petition filed.
Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition ofthe Sentence:
There was a four-year gap between the date that Coleman’sPetition for Writ of Certiorari was denied and the date he filed his Motion toVacate Judgment and Sentence (3.850). During this time,Capital Collateral Representative (CCR) was attempting to withdrawal as hiscollateral counsel, citing a conflict of interest in having represented hisco-defendant, Timothy Robinson. CCR’s motion for withdrawal was denied,however, upon reconsideration, the trial court vacated its earlier ruling andallowed CCR to withdrawal. When CCR was restructured into 3 regionaloffices, however, it was a moot point for CCR to withdrawal, as the conflictwas resolved by having the co-defendants represented by different regionaloffices. In turn, Coleman’s 3.850 Motion was filed in March 1997 and waspending until 2004. On 10/14/98, Coleman was appointed a new registryattorney, Maria Laverde, who filed a Notice of Withdrawal from the case inOctober 2003. On 03/10/04, Spiro Kypreos was assigned as new registrycounsel for Michael Coleman, but Baya Harrison was later appointed.
Case Information:
Coleman filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Courton 10/30/89. In that appeal, he argued that the trial court erred in notsevering his trial from those of his co-defendants, in refusing to have arequested portion of the record regarding DNA evidence read back to the jury,and in denying his motion to suppress the testimony of certain witnesses. Also, Coleman contended that the sentencing judge erred in overriding thejury’s recommendation of life. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed theconvictions and sentence of death on 12/24/02.
Coleman then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in theUnited States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/12/93.
Coleman next filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Courton 03/24/97 that was denied on 07/16/04.
Coleman filed a 3.850 Motion Appeal in the Florida SupremeCourt on 08/02/04. This motion is pending.
Coleman filed a 3.203 Motion in the Florida Supreme Court on04/18/05. The Florida Supreme Court relinquished this motion to the trial courtfor an Evidentiary Hearing on the mental retardation claim on 09/23/05. Onrelinquishment, the State Circuit Court denied the 3.203 motion on 08/28/07.Coleman then filed a 3.203 Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on09/06/07. This motion is pending.
Coleman filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on04/21/05, which was denied on 08/01/07.
Coleman filed a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus in theFlorida Supreme court on 01/21/09 that is pending.
Institutional Adjustment:
DATE DAYS VIOLATION LOCATION
-------- ---- ---------------------------- -------------------
08/20/90 0 DISOBEYING ORDER FSP
02/03/91 15 POSS OFCONTRABAND FSP
02/26/91 15 DISOBEYINGORDER FSP
05/26/91 30 DISOBEYINGORDER FSP
09/01/91 60 ASSAULTS OR ATTEMPT FSP
04/04/93 0 DISOBEYINGORDER FSP
07/29/93 0 POSS OF NARCOTICS UNION C.I.
02/03/94 0 POSS OF UNAUTH BEV. UNION C.I.
05/23/94 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C.I.
05/31/94 0 FIGHTING UNION C. I.
06/21/94 0 PART.IN RIOTS UNION C. I.
06/30/94 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C.I.
07/01/94 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C.I.
07/03/94 0 DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS UNION C.I.
07/25/94 0 REF. SUB. ABUSE TEST UNION C.I.
02/22/95 0 DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS UNION C.I.
02/27/00 180 POSS OFNARCOTICS UNION C.I.
08/01/01 0 DISOBEYING ORDER UNION C.I.
________________________________________________________________________
01/18/02 – ew
02/05/02 – approved – ws
01/05/10 – updated – kkr