First capital sex prosecution ends in plea to LWOP
On Friday, the trial court sentenced Joseph Giampa to life in prison without parole following his guilty plea.
In December, Lake County prosecutors indicated they would seek the death penalty against Joseph Giampa—making it the first case under the 2023 statute in which prosecutors actually sought the death penalty.1 On Friday, Giampa pled guilty in exchange for a sentence of life imprisonment without paroled (LWOP). The Court accordingly entered a judgment and sentence.
The State Attorney’s Office issued a news release related to the resolution of the case that said in part:
“Resolution in less than 100 days is proof that Florida’s capital punishment statute for sexual battery of children is effective,” commented Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson. “By passing this law, the Florida Legislature and the Governor have sent a message that Florida has zero tolerance for those who prey upon our most vulnerable and that the punishment will be certain, swift and severe.”
. . . .
Our office will continue to hold those who violate our laws accountable for their actions and ensure that victims of crime have a voice in the criminal justice system.
According to reporting by the Tampa Bay Times, Giampa “appear[s] to have been suffering from mental health distress while in jail” and was hospitalized for “self-inflicted wounds” in late January.
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