State Concedes 'Mixed Feelings' When Man Asks to Be Executed
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A3 + PLUS >> The classroom door caper, Opinion/4A BASEBALL FOOTBALL Gators out of CHS O-line still a NCAA tourney work in progress See Page 1B See Page 1B WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019 | YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER SINCE 1874 | $1.00 Lake City Reporter LAKECITYREPORTER.COM Convicted killer Richard Franklin, who faces the death penalty for No death the murder of cor- rectional officer Ruben Thomas III at CCI in 2012, may 3A not get a re-do in penalty the penalty phase of his 2013 trial after all. Story do-over? inside. FILE ‘Get it over with’ BOWLING BREAK State concedes As school ‘mixed feelings’ winds down, when man asks a little fun for to be executed 5 Points FILE Defendant Craft at a court appearance in March. Is Robert Earl Lee Craft bluffing? In an odd twist, prosecutors ing mitigating evidence in a sen- Photos by TONY BRITT/Lake City Reporter present mitigating evidence. tencing hearing earlier this month. TOP: Aleigha Albritton of Five Points Robert Earl Lee Craft is set to go Elementary is stoked after a good By CARL MCKINNEY before Judge Paul Bryan on June 7 shot at Lake City Bowl on Tuesday. [email protected] to find out whether he’s headed for The school’s student council and safe- death row or life in prison for the ty patrol took to the lanes for some Prosecutors are waiting to hear murder of his cellmate at Columbia friendly competition. CENTER: Students back from a judge on the fate of a Correctional Institution. Craft had share a laugh between frames. ABOVE: convicted murderer who wants the previously asked the court to skip Makya Sanchez-Smith is ready to roll. death penalty, an unusual case in LEFT: Trenece Johnson, excited after a which the state ended up present- CRAFT continued on 2A good shot, took no prisoners Tuesday. Vol. 145, No. 49 CALL US: TODAY’S WEATHER Obituaries . 3A (386) 752-1293 Opinion . 4A DEAR PHARMACIST SUBSCRIBE TO Advice & Comics . 3B THE REPORTER: 94 68 Eggs reduce risk of stroke, 6A. Voice: 755-5445 Puzzles . 2B Fax: 752-9400 Partly cloudy, 2A With grateful hearts, we salute all who have served and sacrificed for our freedom. NW Hillsboro St. | SW State Road 47 | NW Commons Loop (866) 691-5646 | www.ColumbiaBankFlorida.com 2A WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019 LOCAL LAKE CITY REPORTER ‘Mixed feelings’ on capital case QUICK HITS Scripture of the Day CRAFT “Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not Continued From 1A thyself from my supplication.” — Psalm 55:1 (KJV) the trial and move right on to the sentencing phase, Thought for Today saying he wanted the death Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke. penalty and would contin- — Benjamin Disraeli, 1804-1881, British prime ue killing unless he was minister (1868, 1874-1880) executed. Craft waived his right to a jury sentencing phase, as well as a regular Winning Lottery Numbers trial. Pick 3: (Monday p.m.) 3-3-8 The court accepted a deal Pick 4: (Monday p.m.) 4-6-1-6 with Craft to move to the Fantasy 5: (Monday ) 4-5-10-13-34 sentencing phase. The final decision on his sentence is now up to Bryan, who in a See an error? March hearing questioned The Lake City Reporter corrects errors of fact in news whether Craft only wanted items. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion, to be on death row to have FILE Judge Paul Bryan, prosecutors and defense attorneys confer during a March hearing. please call the editor. Corrections and clarifications will a cell to himself. run in this space. Thanks for reading. “I have mixed feel- ings on this,” said Third death and “get it over with.” When presented with er Craft wanted to be on Circuit State Attorney Jeff He didn’t back down in his Craft’s request to represent death row because those Siegmeister. March hearing, where the himself in March, Bryan inmates get more personal Submissions The Lake City Reporter accepts photographs and caption Were it not for Craft court accepted his requests quizzed the defendant. space and time alone. information to run at the discretion of the editor. If you threatening to kill again, to represent himself, plea “Do you understand the “Is that what drives you?” would like to see your organization in the newspaper, send Siegmeister said he would guilty to the first-degree dangers of representing Bryan asked. the picture and information to Robert Bridges at rbridges@ have likely sought a life sen- murder of cellmate Darren yourself? Tell me what they Craft admitted that he lakecityreporter.com. tence over the death pen- Shira and waive his right are,” Bryan asked. does like the idea, adding alty. to a jury in the sentencing With a somber expres- that he “didn’t want to drag “He kept saying he phase. sion face and unemotional the case out over a long Lake City Reporter was going to kill again,” Before Craft was allowed tone of voice, Craft gave his period of time.” HOW TO REACH US BUSINESS ........... 754-0419 Siegmeister said. “As state to go through with his plan, response. “I refuse to do life in Main number ....... (386) 752-1293 Fax number ............ 752-9400 CIRCULATION attorney, I said the next prosecutors asked Bryan to “Put myself at more risk Florida prison,” Craft said. Circulation............. 755-5445 Home delivery of the Lake City Reporter one’s on me if I do nothing weigh in on with my lim- Bryan questioned wheth- Online .... www.lakecityreporter.com should be completed by 6:30 a.m. and he’s serious.” whether the ited educa- er Craft’s request for the The Lake City Reporter, an affiliate Tuesday through Friday, and by 7:30 ‘We actually a.m. on Sunday. At a May sentencing defendant tion in law, death penalty was some of Community Newspapers Inc., is argued mitiga- published Tuesday through Friday and Please call 386-755-5445 to report any hearing, prosecutors found was mentally courtroom kind of gamble based on Sunday at 180 E. Duval St., Lake City, problems with your delivery service. tion on his behalf,’ FL 32055. Periodical postage paid at themselves performing an competent. procedures,” bad advice. Lake City, FL, Member Audit Bureau of In Columbia County, customers should unusual role. Two doc- State Attorney Jeff he said. “Has anybody said, Circulation and The Associated Press. call before 10:30 a.m. to report a “We actually argued tors who met Siegmeister said. Bryan ‘choose to represent your- All material herein is property of the service error for same day re-delivery. Lake City Reporter. Reproduction in After 10:30 a.m., next day re-delivery mitigation on his behalf,” with Craft ‘Our job is not to continued self and plea and tell them whole or in part is forbidden without or service related credits will be issued. the permission of the publisher. In all other counties where home delivery Siegmeister said. “Our job at Florida defend him, but our the back and you want the death penal- U.S. Postal Service No. 310-880. is available, next day re-delivery or is not to defend him, but State Prison, job’s also not to win forth with a ty, and you’ll never get it POSTMASTER: Send address changes service related credits will be issued. our job’s also not to win at where he lengthy list because that will show that to Lake City Reporter, P.O. Box 1709, at all costs.’ Lake City, FL 32056. Circulation............. 755-5445 all costs.” was trans- of reasons this or that or the other’ ([email protected]) Publisher Todd Wilson ... 754-0418 There are valid reasons ferred after self repre- — has anybody told you ([email protected]) Home delivery rates for both the death penal- authorities discovered sentation is an ill-advised anything like that?” Bryan (Tuesday–Friday and Sunday) NEWS ty and a life sentence, Shira’s body in May, found idea. Craft would have a asked. 4 Weeks . $10.70 Editor Robert Bridges ... 754-0428 12 Weeks . $31.67 Siegmeister said. he was mentally competent. harder time acquiring evi- “Several people, your ([email protected]) 24 Weeks . .$54.14 “This one’s not as clear Shira was beaten and dence from his cell and honor,” Craft responded. 52 Weeks . .$88.81 ADVERTISING cut as most capital cases,” choked. Craft has repeat- wouldn’t know how to “Did you believe them?” Rates include 7% sales tax. Ad. Dir. Chris Ratliff ..... 754-0417 he said. edly justified the murder by respond when prosecutors Bryan replied. ([email protected]) Mail rates When Craft appeared accusing Shira of being a throw out a technical legal “No, your honor,” Craft 12 Weeks . $41.40 CLASSIFIED 24 Weeks . .$82.80 before Bryan in March, child molester, which pros- term during proceedings, said. To place a classified ad ... 755-5440 52 Weeks . .$179.40 the judge questioned his ecutors say is a baseless the judge said. motives for asking to be claim. “Have you thought sentenced to death. Craft has a habit of send- through all that?” Bryan “You’re not one of those ing letters public officials asked. THE WEATHER people who wants to go to have described as “color- Craft did not back down, death row because you’ll ful.” In one, Craft insists prompting the judge to 28 Thu 29 Fri 30 Sat 31 Sun 1 Mon get a color TV, are you?” on being called “Offset” repeatedly question wheth- Bryan asked Craft. “I see and mocked the victim by er he truly understood the Sunny Mostly Partly Mostly Cloudy you smiling.” announcing plans to write gravity of waiving his right Sunny Cloudy Cloudy In a March 1 letter to a book titled “How to Kill a to a jury in both the initial prosecutors, Craft had Chomo,” using prison slang trial and sentencing phase.