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 upon for statistical or legal purposes. 

BLAKE, Harold (B/M)

DC#    H13715

DOB: 09/02/1979

­­­Tenth Judicial Circuit, Polk County Case #02-5203

Sentencing Judge: The Honorable Roger Alcott

Attorney, Trial: Gil Colon – Court-appointed

Attorney, Direct Appeal: Robert Norgard – Court-appointed

Attorney, Collateral Appeals: Linda McDermott – Registry

Date of Offense: 08/12/02

Date of Sentence: 05/13/05

Circumstances of Offense:

At approximately 6 A.M. on August 12, 2002, Trisha Aldermanheard a gunshot coming from Del’s Go Mart across the street from her house. Thevictim, Maheshkumar “Mike” Patel was the owner of Del’s Go Mart. Aldermantestified that she looked out the window and saw two black men running toward avehicle in the parking lot of Del’s, and one of the men was holding a gun.

Denard Keaton was driving in the area of Del’s that morningwhen he heard the gunshots. Keaton testified that he saw three or four blackmen driving away from the store in a light-colored car. Keaton parked his carin Del’s parking lot and called 911 from the pay phone in front of the store.

Donovan Steverson lived in the apartment complex next toDel’s. He testified that while outside his apartment that morning, he saw ablack man walking through the grass towards a car in the apartment complex’sparking lot. A few moments later Steverson heard screaming from Del’s. Hetestified that he saw a man run from the store and get into a gold Oldsmobile.He also testified that it was the same man who had been walking through theapartment complex that morning. Steverson then entered the store and foundPatel bleeding and unable to speak.

Deputy Laura McManus arrived at the store and found Patelgasping for air. She went to her car to retrieve her CPR mask, and when shereturned Patel was no longer breathing. The autopsy revealed that Patel had agunshot wound to his left arm and armpit, as well as a bullet lodged in hisright chest cavity. A bullet jacketing was recovered from his left forearm.

Forensic technicians found a 9-mm shell casing inside thestore. Detective Glenda Eichholtz found a light-colored Oldsmobile abandoned onthe side of the road near Recker Highway. Eichholtz determined the vehicle wasstolen. Richard Green’s and Demetrius Jones’s fingerprints were found in thevehicle by forensics technicians.

Deputy Billo, a K-9 officer, arrived at the scene andallowed his dog to sniff the vehicle. The dog tracked the scent to theresidence of Ms. Teresa Jones. Jones was the girlfriend of the codefendant,Richard Green. Jones testified that Green, Blake, and a male known as “Red Man”came to her apartment that day at approximately 7 A.M. She then drove the mento the Oldsmobile and one of the men removed two guns from the car. She alsotestified that, during the car ride, Blake said something about shootingsomeone. Jones dropped off Blake at a motel, “Red Man” at a store, and Green ather apartment. She then took her children to school. When she returned thepolice were outside her apartment building. Jones told the police that Blakeand another person came to her apartment that morning. On August 14th, Jonesinformed the police that Green was also involved in the murder.

Demetrius Jones, a friend of both Blake and Green, testifiedthat Blake, Green, and Kevin Key (aka “Red Man”) were at his house atapproximately 3 or 4 AM that day. The men arrived in a light-colored,older-model car. Earlier Jones had made plans to join Green and Key on a tripto Lakeland to rob drug dealers. Jones decided not to go, but stated that hemay have touched the car while it was at his house. Jones also testified that,later in the day, he ran into Blake, who told him that they were trying “to do”somebody and someone got shot. Blake also asked Jones to sell a gun for him.Later that day Jones also accompanied Green to a lake, where Green threw a guninto the water.

Police searched Blake’s apartment and recovered a pair oftennis shoes. Forensics technicians found eight glass fragments imbedded in thebottoms of the shoes that matched fragments found in the Oldsmobile.

The police recovered a 9-mm gun from the lake. A forensictechnician stated that the shell casing found on Patel’s body was fired fromthe 9-mm. Detectives interviewed Green, after which Blake was arrested. Blakeconfessed to stealing the Oldsmobile and to shooting Patel. Blake claimed thegun accidentally went off.

Codefendant Information:

The codefendant Richard Reginald Green was convicted and sentencedto life in prison.

Additional Information:

At the time of the death sentence the defendant was servinga life sentence for a separate first-degree murder.

Prior Incarceration History in the State of Florida:

Trial Summary:

04/16/04         Indicted as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder

                                   Count II:         Driving while licensesuspended/revoked

                                   Count III:        Grand theft motor vehicle

                                   Count IV:        Driving while licensesuspended/ revoked

                                   Count V:         Driving while licensesuspended/ revoked

                                   Count VI:        Driving while licensesuspended/revoked

                                   Count VII:      Attempted robbery with a deadly weapon

                                   Count VIII:     Grand theft motor vehicle

02/25/05         Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of the indictment

04/29/05         Jury recommended death by a vote of 12-0

05/13/05         Sentenced as follows:

                                   Count I:          First-Degree Murder – Death

                                   Count II:         Driving while licensesuspended/revoked − 5 years

                                   Count III:        Grand theft motor vehicle− 5 years

                                   Count IV:        Driving while licensesuspended/ revoked − 5 years

                                   Count V:         Driving while licensesuspended/ revoked − 5 years

                                   Count VI:        Driving while licensesuspended/ revoked − 5 years

                                   Count VII:      Attempted robbery with deadly weapon− 15 years

                                   Count VIII:     Grand theft motor vehicle − 5 years

Appeal Summary:

Florida Supreme Court – Direct Appeal

FSC #05-1302

972 So. 2d 839

07/18/05         Appeal filed.

12/13/07         FSC affirmed convictions and sentences.

01/04/08         Mandate issued.

United States Supreme Court − Petition for Writof Certiorari

USSC #07-9826

128 S. Ct. 2442

03/10/08         Petition filed.

05/12/08         Petition denied.

State Circuit Court – 3.851 Motion

CC #02-5203

(Pending)

04/17/09         Motion filed.

Factors Contributing to the Delay in Imposition ofSentence:

The case progression appears to be within acceptable timeparameters.

Case Information:

Blake filed a Direct Appeal with the Florida Supreme Courton 07/18/05, citing the following trial court errors: denial of motion tosuppress defendant’s recorded statement; failure to advise defendant that hecould exercise his right to self-representation; and disproportionateapplication of the death sentence. On 12/13/07, the Florida Supreme Courtaffirmed the convictions and sentences.

On 03/10/08, Blake filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorariwith the United States Supreme Court which was denied on 05/12/08.

On 04/17/09, Blake filed a 3.851 Motion in the State CircuitCourt. This motion is pending.

________________________________________________________________________

Report Date:  01/11/08          KLH

Approved:      01/16/08          RM

Updated:        07/01/09          KLH