The Florida Supreme Court has denied an appeal by a death row inmate convicted of murdering a fellow inmate at Florida State Prison in 2011.
The court rejected a series of arguments raised by attorneys for Wayne Doty, who was found guilty of killing Xavier H. Rodriguez. At the time of the murder, Doty was already serving a life sentence for the shooting death of his former employer.
READ: Florida Lawmakers Seek To Protect State Parks From Development
According to court documents, Doty choked and stabbed Rodriguez with a homemade knife. The murder was allegedly planned after Rodriguez insulted Doty and stole tobacco from him. Doty represented himself at trial.
Among the arguments raised in Doty’s appeal was that he was improperly denied a PET scan and an MRI that could have revealed neurological issues or brain damage, potentially impacting his competency to represent himself.
READ: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Rips Biden-Harris Admin Over Inflation, Vows Reforms Under Trump
However, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court’s decision, stating that the issue should have been raised in an earlier appeal and was therefore “procedurally barred.”
This ruling upholds Doty’s death sentence. He remains on death row at Florida State Prison.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.