Acosta v. State
The Third DCA affirmed convictions for attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery with a firearm arising from a jet-ski chase and shooting on Biscayne Bay. The court rejected challenges to admission of Instagram videos (unpreserved and relevant to motive/premeditation), found sufficient evidence supported the robbery and attempted murder convictions (including under the 'afterthought' doctrine), and held that a jury's special-interrogatory finding triggering a mandatory minimum sentence under §775.087(2) is reviewable on direct appeal rather than requiring a Rule 3.800(b) motion, since it also relates to an element of the underlying offense.
Key facts
- Defendant Acosta was convicted in trial court of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery with a firearm following a jet-ski chase and shooting incident on Biscayne Bay.
- Defendant challenged admission of Instagram videos as unpreserved evidence and argued insufficient evidence supported the robbery and attempted murder convictions.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
This opinion is useful primarily for its procedural holding clarifying the scope of Rule 3.800(b): factual findings underlying a mandatory-minimum firearm enhancement are reviewable on direct appeal rather than… — full analysis with a trial
🔒 Read the full opinion, holding & search the library
The full opinion PDF, the rules the court applied, our significance analysis, the background facts, and full-text search across every tracked Florida decision are available to members. Start a free 30-day trial — no credit card.
Not ready to sign up? Get the free Friday digest — the week's key Florida decisions by email, no login required.
Florida Court Tracker provides summaries of publicly available court opinions for informational and research purposes only. This is not legal advice and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Always verify holdings against the official opinion.