The Crime:
On August 13, 1984, in the environs of Tallahassee, Florida, a passing motorist discovered Jeanne Bickner's charred body. Bickner had been tied to a tree and set on fire while still alive. Her left leg and arm, and most of her hair and skin had been burned away. The next day police found Bickner's car abandoned and on fire. Police arrested 23-year-old Joe Elton Nixon later that morning after Nixon's brother informed the sheriff's office that Nixon had confessed to the murder.
Confession:
Questioned by the police, Nixon described in graphic detail how he had kidnapped Bickner then killed her. He recounted that he had approached Bickner, a stranger, in a mall, and asked her to help him jump-start his car. Bickner offered Nixon a ride home in her 1973 MG sports car. Once on the road Nixon directed Bickner to drive to a remote place.
Kidnapping:
While in route he overpowered her and stopped the car. Nixon next put Bickner in the car trunk, drove into a wooded area, removed Bickner from the car, and tied her to a tree with jumper cables. Bickner pleaded with Nixon to release her, offering him money in exchange.
Burned Alive:
Concerned that Bickner might identify him, Nixon decided to kill her. He set fire to Bickner's personal belongings and ignited her with burning objects. Nixon drove away in the MG, and later told his brother and girlfriend what he had done. He burned the MG on Tuesday August 14, after reading in the newspaper that Bickner's body had been discovered. The State gathered overwhelming evidence establishing that Nixon had committed the murder in the manner he described.
Witnesses:
A witness saw Nixon approach Bickner in the mall's parking lot on August 12 and observed Bickner taking jumper cables out of the trunk of her car and giving them to Nixon. Several witnesses told police they saw Nixon driving around in the MG in the hours and days following Bickner's death. Nixon's palm print was found on the trunk of the car.
Nixon's Brother Called Police:
Nixon's girlfriend, Wanda Robinson, and his brother, John Nixon, both stated that Nixon told them he had killed someone and showed them two rings later identified as Bickner's. According to Nixon's brother Nixon pawned the rings and attempted to sell the car. Police recovered the rings and a receipt for them bearing Nixon's drivers license number. The store owner identified Nixon as the person who sold the rings to him. Nixon was indicted for first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery and arson.
Courtroom Obstacles:
Nixon's lawyer, Michael Corin, had three major obstacles to overcome in order to sway the jury to sentence Nixon to life instead of death. Nixon was unresponsive towards any discussions on strategy with Corin. He felt the state's case of premeditated murder was solid. Lastly, the prosecutor refused to accept a plea of guilty in exchange for life. As a result Corin decided on a strategy of frank admission of guilt in order to show credibility and lead the jury toward a mercy vote of life.
Nixon Refused to Attend His Trial:
During the trial Nixon went from being unresponsive to violent and disruptive in the court room. He pulled off his clothing, demanded a black judge and lawyer, and threatened to act in such a way that the guards would have to shoot him. While in a holding cell Nixon refused to attend the trial, threatening to misbehave if they forced him to go. The judge ruled that Nixon had voluntarily and intelligently waived his rights to be present at his trial.
Year's of Appeals -- Reversals -- and More Reversals:
The trial court sentenced Nixon to death for the murder conviction. In a long process of legal appeals Nixon argued he never gave his attorney the authority to offer admissions of guilt to the jury and that his lawyer was ineffective and acted with grave misconduct.
Florida Supreme Court Decision: In a 5-2 decision last year, the Florida Supreme Court reversed the trial court and granted Nixon a new trial after finding Michael Corin did not effectively represent Nixon and the defendant did not agree to the lawyer's strategy. The case is Florida v. Nixon, 03-931.
U.S. Supreme Court Decision: On December 13, 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that the Florida Supreme Court decision should be set aside and that Nixon should not automatically get a new trial based solely on his lawyer's strategy to concede Nixon's guilt without his consent. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that Nixon had several opportunities to object to the strategy his lawyer planned on using during his trial but that did not.
Back to Florida: The case will now go back to the Florida Supreme Court to decide whether Nixon might be entitled to a new trial based on other grounds.
Source: Law.com and U.S. Supreme Court
