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.
WHITFIELD, Ernest (B/M)
DC # 764970
DOB: 04/09/67
Twelfth Judicial Circuit, Sarasota County, Case #95-1588,95-1951
Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Harry Rapkin
Trial Attorney: Charles Williams - Assistant Public Defender
Attorney, Direct Appeal: Douglas S. Connor - AssistantPublic Defender
Attorney, Collateral Appeal: Peter Cannon & DaphneyGaylord – CCRC-M
Date of Offense: 06/19/95
Date of Sentence: 10/20/95
Circumstances of Offense:
Ernest Whitfield was convicted and sentenced to death forthe 06/19/95 murder of Claretha Reynolds.
In June of 1995, Ernest Whitfield visited the home ofClaretha Reynolds. While there, he asked Reynolds, Willie Mae Brooks (wholived with Reynolds) and Estella Pierre for money. Estella Pierre wasWhitfield’s former girlfriend. When all three women refused, Whitfieldattempted to grab Pierre’s purse. Reynolds put Whitfield into a headlockand proceeded to throw him out of her house. Before leaving, Whitfieldexclaimed, “I am going to kill all three of you bitches.”
In the early morning of 06/19/95, Whitfield tried to getBrooks to let him into Reynold’s home. Brooks turned him away and wentback to sleep in the room she shared with her one-year-old child. Whitfield then broke into Reynolds’ home armed with a large knife. Whitfield proceeded into the bedroom where Brooks and her child laysleeping. He raped Brooks and motioned that he would stab her if she madeany noise. Whitfield left Brooks and went into the bedroom where Reynoldsand her five children were sleeping. A few moments later, Reynoldsstaggered into Brook’s room, asking her to lock her door. Whitfield hadstabbed Reynolds numerous times and she told Brooks that she was dying. Brooks and one of Reynolds’ daughters escaped through the bedroom window andran to a neighbor’s house to call for help.
Whitfield fled the scene and Reynolds died soon after thepolice arrived. After his arrest, Whitfield confessed to stabbingReynolds and showed authorities to the murder weapon. Whitfield alsoadmitted to being high on crack cocaine at the time of the crime.
Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:
| Offense Date | Offense | Sentence Date | County | Case No. | Prison Sentence Length |
| 11/5/89 | BURGUNOCCSTRUC/CV OR ATT. | 2/6/90 | SARASOTA | 8903621 | 1Y 0M 1D |
| 1/11/91 | AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM | 9/26/91 | SARASOTA | 9100170 | 3Y 0M 0D |
| 9/30/92 | AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM | 7/6/93 | SARASOTA | 9202689 | 1Y 6M 0D |
Trial Summary:
07/07/95 The defendant was indicted on the following charges:
Count I: First-Degree Murder
Count II: Armed Burglary
Count III: Sexual Battery w/DeadlyWeapon
09/28/95 The defendant was found guilty on all counts charged in the indictment.
09/28/95 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury, by a 7 to 5 majority, voted for the
imposition of thedeath penalty.
10/20/95 The defendant was sentenced as followed:
Count I: First-Degree Murder - Death
Count II: Armed Burglary - Life
Count III: Sexual Battery w/DeadlyWeapon - Life
Appeal Summary:
Florida Supreme Court - Direct Appeal
FSC# 86,775
706 So. 2d 1 (Fla. 1997)
11/02/95 Appeal filed.
09/11/97 FSC affirmed convictions and sentence ofdeath.
11/20/97 Rehearing denied.
03/23/98 Mandate issued.
United States Supreme Court - Petition for Writ ofCertiorari
USSC# 97-9201
525 U.S. 840 (U.S.1998)
05/20/98 Petition filed.
10/05/98 Petition denied.
State Circuit Court - 3.850 Motion
CC# 95-1588
11/09/98 Motion filed.
05/06/02 Amended Motion filed.
03/17/04 Motion denied.
Florida Supreme Court – 3.850 Appeal
FSC# 04-651
923 So.2d 375
04/15/04 Appeal filed.
11/03/05 FSC affirmed the denial of Whitfield’s3.850 Motion.
02/17/06 Rehearing denied.
03/06/06 Mandate issued.
United States District Court, Middle District – HabeasPetition
USDC# 07-1823
10/05/07 Petition filed.
01/17/08 State’s Motion to Dismiss Petition filed.
09/18/08 Evidentiary Hearing held.
09/24/08 Petition dismissed.
United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – HabeasPetition Appeal
USCA# 08-16162
11/10/08 Appeal filed.
03/11/09 Certificate of Appealability denied.
United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ ofCertiorari
USSC# 09-5776
130 S.Ct. 3451
07/22/09 Petition filed
06/21/10 Petition granted, judgment vacated andcase remanded
United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit – HabeasPetition Appeal
USCA# 08-16162
08/10/10 Case remanded to USDC for fact finding andfurther proceedings
United States District Court, Middle District – HabeasPetition
USDC# 07-1823
(pending)
Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition ofthe Sentence:
The delay in this case is Whitfield’s 3.850 Motion, whichwas pending in the State Circuit Court for over five years.
Case Information:
On 11/02/95, Whitfield filed a Direct Appeal in the FloridaSupreme Court. In that appeal, he argued that the trial court erred inremoving him from the courtroom during jury selection. The FloridaSupreme Court noted that Whitfield asked to be removed from thecourtroom. Despite Whitfield’s counsel’s request to send him back to hiscell because his behavior was instilling prejudice in his case, the trial judgemade extraordinary efforts to convince Whitfield to stay. The FloridaSupreme Court found that the trial judge did not abuse his discretion on theissue. Whitfield also contended that the trial court erred in admittingtestimony regarding the incident where Whitfield attempted to snatch Pierre’spurse and that the prosecutor introduced irrelevant evidence during the penaltyphase. Whitfield additionally argued the consideration and application ofaggravating and mitigating circumstances. The Florida Supreme Courtaffirmed the convictions and sentence of death on 09/11/97.
Whitfield next filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari inthe United States Supreme Court, which was denied on 10/05/98.
Whitfield filed a 3.850 Motion in the State Circuit Court on11/09/98. Whitfield raised 21 claims in the motion all of which the courtdenied relief. The motion was denied on 03/17/04.
Whitfield then filed an appeal of the 3.850 Motion decisionin the Florida Supreme Court. Whitefield raised six claims in his appeal,five of which related to ineffective assistance of counsel. Whitfieldargued that his trial defense counsel failed to do the following: adequatelypresent the voluntary intoxication defense to first-degree murder, provide aspeedy trial, call additional witnesses to corroborate his backgroundinformation, request jury instruction, and object to the prosecutor’spresentation of nonstatutory aggravators. Whitfield’s final claim wasthat his rights were violated under Ake v. Oklahoma, 470 U.S. 68 (1985), byfailing to obtain an adequate mental health examination. On 11/03/05, theFlorida Supreme Court denied all of Whitfield’s claims and affirmed the CircuitCourt’s denial of postconviction relief.
On 10/05/07, Whitfield filed a Habeas Petition in the UnitedStates District Court, Middle District. On 01/17/08, the State filed aMotion to Dismiss. An Evidentiary Hearing was held on 09/18/08 and theState’s Motion to Dismiss was granted.
On 11/10/08, Whitfield filed a Habeas Petition Appeal in theUnited States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit. On 03/11/09, the UnitedStates Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, denied the certificate ofappealability. On 08/10/10, the United States Court of Appeals, 11thCircuit, issued a mandate.
Whitfield filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in theUnited States Supreme Court on 7/22/09. On 6/21/10, the petition wasgranted, judgment vacated and the case remanded for further consideration inlight of Holland v. Florida.
On 08/10/10, the United States Court of Appeals, 11thCircuit, remanded the case to the United States District Court, MiddleDistrict, for fact finding and further proceedings.
The case is currently pending in the United States DistrictCourt, Middle District.
Institutional Adjustment:
| DATE | DAYS | VIOLATION | LOCATION |
| 09/10/96 | 30 | SPOKEN THREATS | FLORIDA STATE PRISON |
| 10/03/97 | 0 | DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS | UNION C. I. |
| 05/05/98 | 0 | DISOBEYING ORDER | UNION C. I. |
| 07/22/98 | 0 | DISOBEYING ORDER | UNION C. I. |
| 10/20/98 | 0 | SPOKEN THREATS | UNION C. I. |
| 08/04/99 | 0 | DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS | UNION C. I. |
| 12/08/99 | 0 | DISORDERLY CONDUCT | UNION C. I. |
| 04/15/00 | 0 | VISITING VIOLATIONS | UNION C. I. |
| 03/28/01 | 0 | FIGHTING | UNION C. I. |
| 04/26/01 | 0 | DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS | UNION C. I. |
| 08/10/01 | 60 | LYING TO STAFF | UNION C. I. |
| 04/12/02 | 90 | SEX ACTS | UNION C. I. |
| 02/01/04 | 60 | DISRESP.TO OFFICIALS | UNION C. I. |
| 02/01/04 | 90 | SPOKEN THREATS | UNION C.I. |
| 02/01/04 | 60 | LYING TO STAFF | UNION C.I. |
| 02/01/04 | 30 | FAILURE TO COMPLY | UNION C.I. |
| 02/06/04 | 60 | DISOBEYING ORDER | UNION C.I. |
| 06/10/04 | 60 | DISOBEYING ORDER | UNION C.I. |
| 06/16/04 | 30 | SPOKEN THREATS | UNION C.I. |
| 01/30/05 | 60 | DISORDERLY CONDUCT | UNION C.I. |
____________________________________________________________________
Reported 03/16/03 EW
Approved 03/24/03 WS
Updated 11/17/10 MJH