Friday, January 15, 2010

Man convicted in 1991 slaying gets new sentencing phase


A man sentenced to death for the 1991 slaying of a 17-year-old Jacksonville high school senior will have a chance to argue that the sentence was unfair.

Ronnie Ferrell's conviction in the killing of Gino Mayhew was not overturned in a ruling released Thursday by the Florida Supreme Court, but the justices did agree that he should have a new sentencing phase. He would still get a minimum life sentence but could avoid the death penalty.

In 2006, Circuit Judge Charles Arnold threw out the penalty phase of Ferrell's 1993 trial. Ferrell argued he had ineffective council. Arnold agreed and the Supreme Court affirmed the decision.

Mayhew was killed execution-style and left in a truck at a Northside schoolyard, according to earlier reports in The Times-Union.

Ferrell and two others were convicted of first-degree murder.

Source(jacksonville.com)

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