After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Ritchie guilty of first-degree murder, sexual battery and aggravated child abuse. In September 2019, all 12 jurors agreed Ritchie, who grew up in Jamaica,should face the death penalty. No one spoke on behalf of Ritchie during Friday's testimony. For him to feel what she felt. Ritchie, now 43, is an inmate at Union Correctional Institution, according to the Florida Department of Corrections website. Historique L'entreprise. Ritchie found guilty in death of Felecia Williams, 9. Ritchies conviction comes five years after he raped and killed Felecia before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dropping it off of the Courtney Campbell Causeway bridge, according to the Tampa Bay Times, WTSP and Fox13. Roebuck, the appellant's attorney, insisted that there was nothing spontaneous about Harmon's argument. "The child victim suffered a horrendous, physically painful, psychologically torturous death," Sisco said in court on Friday. You have entered an incorrect email address! 'Im trying to figure out how that is not a Golden Rule violation,' Grosshans said, referring to the prosecutor's speech. And the fact that you were able to sit through this trial with the horrific facts. A doctor who took the stand Tuesday disagreed with the medical examiner's findings on the cause of death. Im trying to figure out how thats not a violation of the Golden Rule, she said Grosshans, referring to the prosecutors speech. PREVIOUS:Granville Ritchie found guilty of murder in 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. I do still see the humanity in you,Judge Sisco said after delivering the death sentence. After Demerson left the courtroom, the juror leaned forward, shielding her face. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Justice Jorge Labarga argued that Ritchie should receive a new sentencing hearing. She left 9-yr-old Sugarplum with Ritchie. Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. On Tuesday, a Hillsborough County jury found. , updated They asked for tissues then said they needed a break. I wish you all of the best.. Granville Ritchie, 40, is charged with first-degree murder, rape and sexual battery, and aggravated child abuse. Some days I dont know if Im coming or going.. When her mother had foot surgery in 2013, the girl spent the summer cooking for her and nursing her back to health, Demerson said. A Florida man faces the death penalty after being convicted of murdering a 9-year-old girl when she was left alone with him in 2014, PEOPLE confirms. UPDATED 4:30 PM ET Sep. 25, 2019. A PEDO was given the death penalty for raping and strangling a nine-year-old girl and hiding her body in suitcase. Roebuck, the appellants attorney, insisted that there was nothing spontaneous in Harmons argument. She quoted a Bible verse, Matthew 18:6. 10:20 EST 05 Nov 2021 The child's mother and a judge had some parting words. By Who is Granville Ritchie? Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Defense casts doubt as Granville Ritchie trial winds down, Jury in Granville Ritchies murder trial hears his account of girls disappearance, He sold me a dream. Ex-girlfriend links Granville Ritchie to 9-year-old murder victim, She was looking into the face of her killer: Trial opens in slaying of girl, 9, Jury seated in trial of Granville Ritchie, accused of strangling young girl. All rights reserved. Convicted child killer, rapist wants off death row. I feel like death is appropriate. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. It is unreasonable to think, in light of the facts of this case, that any juror would be able to avoid all signs of emotion, Sisco said. "I don't know what your spiritual leanings arehowever, if you do everpray to a higher power, either now or at some point, and you truly seek forgivenessI hope that it is granted. The sentencing phase will begin when court resumes Thursday morning. Closing arguments wrapped up Wednesday and the jury began deliberating. James Upshaw Downs, a forensic pathologist, talked about the pain the girl would have felt as she was being beaten, raped and strangled. Wiley was a witness at Ritchies trial and was accused of lying during the missing person investigation. By Granville Ritchie (pictured in mugshot) killed Felecia Williams on May 16, 2014 Wiley was a neighbor and friend to Felecia's family. Ritchie and Felecia did not know each other before they met on May 16, 2014, but they were both close with Eboni Wiley, who was the man's then-girlfriend and the girl's neighbor and family friend. When she returned Ritchie told her he let Sugarplum go to the CVS to get candy. Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.com Police search allotment sheds for Constance Marten's missing baby. According to court documents Granville Ritchie would abduct, sexually assault and murder Felecia Williams. If the inmate wins on appeal, he would be granted a new sentencing trial to determine whether he gets life in prison or the death penalty again. My heart breaks for you. And the fact that you were able to sit through this trial with the horrific facts. Wiley initially told investigators that Felecia had run away while she and Ritchie had s*x in a bedroom, but later admitted that she lied. Ritchies attorney could not be reached for comment. After she completed her testimony, Judge Sisco said she had struggled with how to convey her thoughts toward Demerson, but told her the following: Ive thought long and hard about what I was going to say to you. During a Florida Supreme Court hearing Thursday, Judge Jamie Grosshans closely examined Harmons comments and noted that she leaned toward the defense position. #GranvilleRitchie Wiley left to get marjuana at the request of Ritchie. A jury found Granville Ritchie guilty of murder and rape Wednesday afternoon in the 2014 killing of 9-year-old Felecia Williams. Initially, Wiley told police that Felecia ran away, the Associated Press reported. Wiley has been charged with lying during a missing person investigation. ", Felecia Demerson holds up an image of her daughter, Felecia Williams, during the sentencing hearing for her killer. Ritchie motioned for Wiley, who was babysitting Felecia, to leave the house to buy marijuana. According to court documents Granville Ritchie would abduct, sexually assault and murder Felecia Williams. Harmon is a veteran prosecutor who has been prosecuting homicides for 20 years, he told the court. Ritchie then s*xually assaulted and strangled the girl while Wiley was away, prosecutors said during his trial. Investigators later found leaves and sand matching evidence from the crime scene. RELATED STORY: Granville Ritchie guilty of raping, killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams. Follow Us OnFacebook HereOrTwitter Here. The same jury will decide whether Ritchie will receive the death penalty as part of his sentencing. If anyone causes one of these little ones those who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea., That scripture is talking to someone that knows better, Demerson said. You're a better stronger woman than I am. Court is being held in Hillsborough County. The server responded with {{status_text}} (code {{status_code}}). Injuries to her mouth, he said, indicated that a hand may have been placed over it, keeping her from crying out. At the time, they said she was left alone with Ritchie after the woman who was babysitting her left to purchase drugs. The jury voted unanimously to recommend a death sentence for the murder, and the trial court sentenced Ritchie to death. Investigators said, back in 2014, Ritchie assaulted and strangled young Felecia Williams before stuffing her body in a suitcase and dumping her into the water near the Courtney Campbell Causeway. In front of a jury tasked to decide the fate of Ritchie . A unanimous 12-0 decision is required. Ritchie faces the death penalty. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. TAMPA Jurors considering whether to sentence Granville Ritchie to death for the murder of 9-year-old Felecia Williams stopped their work Thursday morning when one of them began sobbing at testimony from the little girls mother. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Harmon is a veteran prosecutor who has been prosecuting homicides for 20 years,' she told the court. Buckwalter claimed that the prosecutor was simply describing Ritchies actions to jurors and made a brusque comment. Granville Ritchie, the man who raped and murdered 9-year-old Felecia Williams in 2014, was sentenced to death Friday. Hernandez expressed concern about the panels ability to make a fair decision on the death penalty. How did Vladimir Putin lose half of Russia's elite paratroopers? That argument is considered legally incorrect because jurors are expected to consider a verdict objectively based on evidence alone, rather than their personal feelings. The jury has to be unanimous on the death sentence. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 3 Granville Ritchie, 41, was sentenced to death on Friday for killing and raping a nine-year-old girl Credit: Hillsborough County Jai 3 Nine-year-old Felecia Williams was killed in May 2014 Credit: Facebook A Florida man faces the death penalty after being convicted of murdering a 9-year-old girl when she was left alone with him in 2014, PEOPLE confirms. The argument is considered improper and could be grounds for an appeal because the jurors have to consider a case in an objective manner and rely on evidence alone, instead of their feelings and biases. A key part of the Supreme Court opinion involved whether Ritchie should receive a new sentencing hearing because of improper comments made by a prosecutor during the case. the child to death before putting her body in a suitcase and dumping it near the Courtney Campbell Causeway in May 2014 . In arguing for the death penalty, Tampa prosecutor Scott Harmon said to the jury, in part: 'Can you imagine the dread of knowing that your life is ending and you are feeling pain all over your body? Fridays sentencingincluded testimony from Felecia Demerson, the 9-year-olds mother. By 4:30 p.m., they returned the guilty verdict. pic.twitter.com/ICiF7E3rSA. First, I am in awe of your bravery and your tireless advocacy for your daughter. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. . The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the convictions and death sentence for a man who sexually battered and killed 9-year-old Felecia Williams. According to the Tamp Bay Times, prosecutors said Ritchie raped and strangled the young woman before putting her body in a suitcase. She was allowed to remain on the panel. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. En 1946 Christian Dior s'installe au 30, avenue Montaigne [11], l'ouverture de la boutique [12] a lieu en dcembre. Christopher Sabella elected as Hillsborough Countys next chief judge, Tampa man who was first to face trial for Florida voter fraud in 2020 election gets probation, Florida bill seeks death penalty for child rapists, challenging SCOTUS, Steven Lorenzo sentenced to death for 2 Tampa murders, 10 big issues to watch in Floridas 2023 legislative session, Florida executes Donald Dillbeck for 1990 Tallahassee murder, Florida lawmakers take up plan to shield businesses from lawsuits, Tampa man tied to assassination of Haitian president, DeSantis strategy includes flooding zone with news, targeting conservative media, DeSantis, GOP lawmakers pursue efforts to weaken news media protections, Granville Ritchie guilty of raping, killing 9-year-old Felecia Williams, You cant get over it. Mother works to preserve memory of daughter who was slain at age 9. Ritchie did poorly in school, repeating 9th grade before dropping out in 10th, jurors were told. document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value",(new Date()).getTime()); Copyright 2023 My Crime Library | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. I just cant believe he did that to her, Felecias cousin, Rashida Johnson, told WTSP shortly after her death. More than six years after the child's death, Ritchie was sentenced with the death penalty on Friday, the Tampa Bay Times reported. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Prosecutors challenged that, stilling claiming Williams was strangled. "May God have mercy on your soul, Mr. Ritchie," Judge. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. He told me he needed to do something. This was deliberate.'. 'May God have mercy on your soul.'. Im on seven different types of medication trying to cope with this new normal called life. The penalty phase of the trial started Thursday. Friday's sentencingincluded testimony from Felecia Demerson, the 9-year-old's mother. Please contact the developer of this form processor to improve this message. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Instead, it becomes a first step of a never-ending nightmare you never wake from. During his sentencing hearing last year, Felecias father surprised the courtroom by telling the murderer of his daughter that he forgave him. The seven justices of the state Supreme Court did not reach a decision in Ritchie's case this week. Ritchie then sexually assaulted and strangled the girl while Wiley was away, prosecutors said during his trial. Youll get a remembrance of Tampa Bay residents weve lost, including heartwarming and amusing details about their lives, every Tuesday. Granville Ritchie would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death Florida Death Row Inmate List "Important to be was the fact that there was a pattern, where it wasn't a typical neck strangulation, where you got a lot of injury to all of the muscles up here in the neck," explained Dr. William Anderson, a pathologist. . But the judge told them to speak up if what they hear becomes overwhelming. Aconvicted child rapist and murderer is appealing his death sentence in Florida by arguing that the prosecutor violated the so-called 'Golden Rule' by asking the jury to imagine his victim's suffering. {{#message}}{{{message}}}{{/message}}{{^message}}Your submission failed. ", PREVIOUS: Girlfriend testifies she does not believe Ritchie killed 9-year-old. This site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser only with your consent lost, heartwarming! 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