Florida Supreme Court denies Thomas Bevel's direct appeal from resentencing
In its decision issued Thursday, the majority denied relief on all 5 issues raised by Bevel and affirmed Bevel’s sentences of death.
On Thursday, as part of its regular release of opinions, the Florida Supreme Court issued its decision in Bevel v. State, No. SC2022-0210. (The decision can be downloaded here.)
In 2005, Thomas Bevel was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for crimes that occurred in 2004. Bevel was sentenced to death on both counts following the jury’s recommendations for death by votes of 12-0 and 8-4. His convictions and sentences of death were affirmed on direct appeal.
In 2017, the Florida Supreme Court vacated Bevel’s sentences of death granted Bevel a resentencing due to Hurst (among other reasons).1
Bevel’s resentencing occurred before Gov. DeSantis signed Florida’s new capital sentencing scheme into law. At the resentencing, the jury unanimously recommended that Bevel be sentenced to death on both counts of first-degree murder.
This was Bevel’s direct appeal from his two death sentences imposed on resentencing. On appeal, Bevel raised five issues:
In its decision issued Thursday, the majority denied relief on all issues and affirmed Bevel’s sentences of death.
Justice Labarga filed a concurring in result opinion, reiterating his disagreement with the Court’s decision to abandon proportionality on direct appeal:
