Hutchinson v. State; Hutchinson v. Secretary, Department of Corrections
The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the summary denial of Hutchinson's fourth successive postconviction motion following the signing of his death warrant, and separately denied his habeas petition, stay, and oral argument request. The court rejected due-process challenges to the short warrant litigation period, the Governor's discretion in selecting execution warrants, records-request limitations under Rule 3.852, an attempt to extend Atkins v. Virginia to non-intellectual-disability neurocognitive claims, and a Martinez v. Ryan-style argument that ineffective postconviction counsel should excuse procedural default. Justice Labarga dissented, citing concerns about the compressed review period given a pending competency stay the Court was not promptly notified of.
Key facts
- Hutchinson was a death-row inmate who signed a death warrant and filed a fourth successive postconviction motion raising due-process challenges to the warrant litigation period, the Governor's discretion in selecting execution warrants, public records request limitations, and attempts to extend Atkins v. Virginia beyond intellectual disability.
- The circuit court denied Hutchinson's fourth successive postconviction motion and related public records requests following the signing of his death warrant.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
This opinion is a useful compilation of the Florida Supreme Court's current, settled positions on recurring death-warrant litigation issues—short warrant periods, records requests, Governor's warrant-selection… — full analysis with a trial
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