Commission On Capital Cases

Disclaimer: The Commission on Capital Cases receives this information from a variety of sources. The site will be updated consistently as information is received and will be audited bi-annually. We make every attempt to ensure the accuracy of the information provided; however, the information should be verified by the applicable court prior to using it for legal or statistical purposes.

Inmate

Last Name	First Name	Picture	DC Number	Agency	Case Summary
Cruse	William		117051	TBA	Case Summary

Last Action

Date	Court	Case Number	Last Action
11/29/2009			Dead
8/25/1993	CC	87-1763	3.850 Motion
3/20/2002	CC	87-1763	Defendant found incompetent to proceed
5/7/2002	CC	87-1763	Motion amended
10/29/2002	CC	87-1763	Huff
7/6/2007	CC	87-1763	Huff
7/20/2009	CC	87-1763	Status Conference

Current Attorney

Last Name	First Name	City	Address	Zip	Phone	EMail
McDermott	Linda M.	Wilton Manors, FL	1141 N.E. 30th St.	33334-	850/322-2172	Email

Cases

Last Name	Case Number	Judge	County	CCRC	Order Date	Contract Date
McDermott	05-1987-CF-1763-AXXX	Burk	Brevard	North-P	06/20/03	07/18/03

Last Updated

2008-01-09 11:43:13.0

Case Summary
Direct Links

The Commission on Capital Cases updates this information regularly

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.

CRUSE, William Jr. (W/M)

DC # 117051

DOB: 11/21/27

Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Brevard County, Case #87-1763

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable John Antoon II

Trial Attorneys: Marlene Alva & Paul Arlt – AssistantPublic Defenders

Attorney, Direct Appeal: James Wulchak – Assistant PublicDefender

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Linda McDermott - Registry

Date of Offense: 04/23/87

Date of Sentence: 07/28/89

Circumstances of Offense:

William Cruse was convicted of six murders, resulting in twodeath sentences for a killing spree he ignited on 04/23/87.

Prior to the day of the killings, Cruse obtained asemiautomatic assault rifle and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition. On 04/23/87, he loaded the assault rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol into his carand headed in the direction of Palm Bay Shopping Center. Cruse stopped athis neighbor’s house, the Rich residence, and opened fire, striking 14 year-oldJohn Rich, IV, who was playing basketball outside his home. John’s familyrushed outside when they heard the gunshots, and Cruse fired at them as well.

Cruse continued to the Publix grocery store in the Palm BayShopping Center, where he gathered his firearms and ammunition, and approachedthe entrance to the store. Cruse shot and killed Nabil Al-Hameli and EmadAl-Tawakuly as they exited the Publix and wounded their friend FaiselAl-Mutairi. Cruse wounded Eric Messerbauer and Douglas Pollack in a sprayof bullets, and he killed Ruth Green, who was shot as she pulled her car intothe parking lot of the shopping center. Cruse then walked over to thebodies of Al-Hameli and Al-Tawakuly, who were lying on the ground, and shotthem again.

As authorities approached the scene, Cruse drove over to theSabal Palm Shopping Center, where he again opened fire on the customers of theWinn Dixie grocery store. Cruse reloaded the rifle and fired numerousshots into Officer Ronald Grogan’s police car as he approached, killing him.

Officer Gerald Johnson was the next officer on thescene. Cruse targeted him, wounding him in the leg. As Johnsonscrambled for cover, Cruse followed him into the parking lot. Crusestalked the wounded officer and shot him several more times, killing him. Cruse also fired at the rescue team who were attempting to help the fallenofficers.

Cruse then went into the Winn Dixie, and hunted down astream of people who were attempting to escape through the back door of thegrocery store. He began firing, wounding many people, and killing LesterWatson with a shot to the back.

Cruse re-entered the Winn Dixie and found Judy Larson andRobin Brown hiding in the women’s restroom. Cruse released Larson withorders to tell the police to turn off the lights, while he held Brown hostagein the store. Cruse tried to negotiate with police to bring his cararound and let him to leave Brevard County. If they agreed, he would thenallow police to kill him. Cruse released Brown several hours later, atwhich time police fired tear gas and stun grenades into the store. Crusewas arrested when he was forced to leave the store.

Additional Information:

At trial, Cruse pled not guilty by reason of insanity. He claimed to suffer from delusions that people were talking about him, trying totest his sexuality and attempting to turn him into a homosexual.

On 03/20/02, Cruse was found mentally incompetent to proceedin his postconviction relief.

Cruse had no prior incarceration history in the state ofFlorida.

Trial Summary:

04/24/87 Defendant arrested.

05/03/87 The defendant was indicted as followed:

Count I: First-Degree Murder – Al-Hameli

Count II: First-Degree Murder – Al-Tawakuly

Count III: First-Degree Murder – Green

Count IV: First-Degree Murder – Grogan

CountV: First-Degree Murder – Johnson

Count VI: First-DegreeMurder – Watson

Count VII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count IX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count X: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XVI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXVI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXXI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXXII: AttemptedFirst-Degree Murder

Count XXXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXXIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXXV: Kidnapping

Count XXXVI: Kidnapping

01/11/88 Notice of intent to rely on the insanity defense.

12/19/88 Motion for change of venue granted and the case was transferred to Polk County.

04/05/89 The jury found the defendant guilty on the following counts:

Count I: First-Degree Murder – Al-Hameli

Count II: First-Degree Murder – Al-Tawakuly

Count III: First-Degree Murder – Green

Count IV: First-Degree Murder – Grogan

CountV: First-Degree Murder – Johnson

Count VI: First-Degree Murder – Watson

Count VII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count IX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count X: AttemptedFirst-Degree Murder

Count XI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XVI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXI: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder

CountXXX: Attempted Second-Degree Murder

Count XXXI: Attempted Second-Degree Murder

Count XXXIII: AttemptedFirst-Degree Murder

CountXXXIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder

Count XXXV: False Imprisonment

Count XXXVI: Kidnapping

04/25/89 Upon advisory sentencing, the jury voted by the following counts:

CountI: Murder – Al-Hameli 11 to 1 - Death

Count II: Murder – Al-Tawakuly 11 to 1 -Death

Count III: Murder – Green 10 to 2 - Death

Count IV: Murder – Grogan 11 to 1 - Death

Count V: Murder –Johnson 12 to 0 - Death

Count VI: Murder – Watson 11 to 1 – Death

07/28/89 The defendant was sentenced as followed:

Count I: First-Degree Murder – Al-Hameli - Life

Count II: First-Degree Murder – Al-Tawakuly - Life

Count III: First-Degree Murder – Green - Life

Count IV: First-Degree Murder – Grogan - Death

CountV: First-Degree Murder – Johnson - Death

Count VI: First-Degree Murder – Watson - Life

Count VII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count IX: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count X: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XI: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XV: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XVI: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountXVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XVIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XX: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXI: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountXXII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXV: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXVII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXIX: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountXXX: Attempted Second-Degree Murder – 30 years

Count XXXI: Attempted Second-Degree Murder – 30 years

Count XXXIII: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

CountXXXIV: Attempted First-Degree Murder - Life

Count XXXV: False Imprisonment – 15 years

Count XXXVI: Kidnapping – Life

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC #74,656

588 So. 2d 983

09/01/89 Appeal filed.

10/24/91 FSC affirmed the convictions and sentences.

01/13/92 Rehearing denied.

02/12/92 Mandate issued.

United States Supreme Court – Petition for Writ ofCertiorari

USSC #91-7998

504 U.S. 976

04/13/92 Petition filed.

06/08/92 Petition denied.

State Circuit Court – 3.850 Motion

CC #87-1763

08/25/93 Motion filed.

08/25/00 Amended motion filed.

Factors Contributing to the Delay in the Imposition ofthe Sentence:

Cruse’s 3.850 Motion has been pending since 1993, making itthe most significant delay thus far in the post-conviction reliefprocess. On 03/20/02, Cruse was found incompetent to proceed in hispostconviction relief efforts. On 07/09/08, Cruse was again found incompetentto proceed.

Case Information:

Cruse filed a Direct Appeal in the Florida Supreme Court on09/01/89. In that appeal, he argued that the State committed a Brady[1]violation when it withheld psychiatric information and that the trial courterred in failing to allow the cross-examination of a State’s expert. Cruse also claimed the trial judge gave an improper insanity instruction andthat the trial court erred in failing to allow him to present surrebuttalevidence. In regard to the penalty phase, Cruse argued the application ofcertain aggravating factors. The Florida Supreme Court rejected Cruse’sarguments and affirmed the convictions and death sentences on 10/24/91.

Next Cruse filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in theUnited States Supreme Court, which was denied on 06/08/92.

He filed a 3.850 Motion on 08/25/93, which is currentlypending in the State Circuit Court. On 03/20/02, Cruse was foundincompetent to proceed in his postconviction relief efforts. Nodisposition was ever reached on his 3.850 Motion.

________________________________________________________________________

02/25/02 – ew

04/05/02 – approved – ws

02/05/09 – updated – jfl

[1] Brady v. Maryland – Case lawdictating that the State must disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense.