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Killer Of UWF Student Appeals Death Sentence To State Supreme Court
February 6, 2018
With a scheduled execution little more than two weeks away, attorneys for Death Row inmate Eric Scott Branch appealed to the Florida Supreme Court on Monday after an Escambia County circuit judge refused a request for a stay.
Branch, now 46, was sentenced to death in the 1993 sexual assault and murder of University of West Florida student Susan Morris.
Gov. Rick Scott last month scheduled Branch’s execution for February 22.
In seeking the stay in circuit court, Branch’s attorneys argued, in part, that Branch was 21 at the time of the murder and that brain development continues into the mid-20s.
They argued people in their early 20s are “cognitively comparable to juveniles under the age of 18,” Judge Edward P. Nickinson III wrote Thursday in an order denying the motion for a stay.
The argument was based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that barred the death penalty for people under age 18 because it would violate an Eighth Amendment ban on cruel and unusual punishment. But Nickinson wrote that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling had established a “bright line” of age 18.
“This Court must construe the prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment in conformity with decisions of the United States Supreme Court,” Nickinson wrote.
Branch’s attorneys last week also asked the Florida Supreme Court for a stay of execution while he appeals another issue to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Florida Supreme Court had not ruled on that request as of late Monday.
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9 Responses to “Killer Of UWF Student Appeals Death Sentence To State Supreme Court”
I remember this like it just happened yesterday. I lived not too far from UWF and worked as a Paramedic. I would get up early in the am and go for a jog, sometimes just before daylight, and on the day of the murder I encountered an old car sitting in a driveway in my neighborhood. The car did not belong at that house, and the engine was running. I ran past it, and they backed out and started following me. I turned back and ran as fast as I could towards my house. The car followed me all the way. When I got home I ran in the front door and my husband asked me what was wrong. I told him I had been followed, and he ran out and the car had turned around and was slowly moving past our house, and then it took off. A day or so later they found the car at the airport parking lot, and as I was watching it I realized how lucky I was. I never went jogging again after that. They had identified the car as being at the college when Susan went missing. I don’t know if he had just started looking for a victim or if he was looking for another victim when he saw me. I had never seen that car in our area before, and when it was sitting in that driveway I knew it didn’t belong there, and the house was dark. The car was old, and very distinctive bit wasn’t one that you would see very often in our area. It was a different time back then. If the car was gone and you called the cops, really nothing could be done. I don’t hesitate to call the cops now if there is something happening. I don’t want anyone to lose someone they love
Well lets see You and I have been feeding clothing and housing This Vermon for 37 years oh and don,t forget free medical IT,s TIME TO DIE
Look in his eyes people-cold and lifeless. He gave his victim no choice or mercy but now he wants to live. He’s been on death row longer than the victim was on this earth. It’s absolutely ridiculous.End this already-get this monster out of here.
He should be executed the same way he killed Susan.
@Mick, you brought light to my eyes. I never thought of the ones who were murdered and begged to live yet the murderers took their life. Good point.
The last two articles I just read on NE mentioned that the judge in these cases was Judge Edward P. Nickinson. (Nine Mile Road Raceway Robbery & Susan Morris case). Thank you Judge Nickinson for your ruing in these two cases and making sure that justice is being served.
Poor convicted murderer, time to pay the piper – your victims’ appeals for you not to sexually assault her and to spare her life fell on deaf ears – you have been given more consideration than you deserve. You knew exactly what you were doing and with any justice your due process is over.
Quit making excuses. He knew what he was doing. Now he’s scared. 16 more days and a wake up.
It amazes me how these killers are actually cowards at heart and will go to great lengths to to try to save their own lives when the life of another meant nothing to them. They should fast track these animals to execution.