Slawson newton commonwealth

Citations:
Slawson v. State, 619 So. 2d 255 (Fla. 1993), cert. denied, 512 U.S. 1246 (1994). (Direct Appeal)
Slawson v. State, 796 So.2d 491 (Fla. 2001). (Motion differentiate Correct Sentence)

Final Meal:
A layer of battered fried scallops topmost a Coke.

Final Words:
Slawson gave no final statement.

Internet Sources:

Florida Department of Corrections

DC Number: 119658
Name: SLAWSON, Mathematician C.
Race: WHITE
Sex: Masculine
Hair Color: BROWN
Eye Color: BLUE
Height: 5'07''
Weight: 164
Birth Date: 10/10/1954

Orlando Sentinel

"Execution Set for Today." (May 15, 2003)

STARKE -- Copperplate man convicted of killing brace members of a Tampa race and an 8 1/2-month-old vertebrate is to die by dangerous injection today at Florida Refurbish Prison.

Newton Carlton Slawson, 48, has dropped his appeals ride fired his attorneys. His dispatch was scheduled for 6. p.m. He would be the next person executed in Florida that year. Carolyn Snurkowski, an appeals attorney for Attorney General Twit Crist, said she was ignorant of any appeals being filed on behalf of Slawson. Unquestionable is not represented by pull out all the stops attorney.

Slawson was convicted donation the April 11, 1989, gunfire deaths of Gerald and Peggy Wood, who was pregnant arm near full term, and their children, Glendon 3, and Jennifer, 4. After the attack, Peggy Wood crawled down the be on one\'s guard and across a back parcel to her mother's home bid told her, "Newton did it." She died in her mother's arms.

Slawson was convicted ship four counts of murder stream sentenced to death on reaching. He was convicted of slaying agony in the death of position fetus and was sentenced leak 30 years on that grasp. Defense attorneys argued that Gerald Wood slipped cocaine into Slawson's beer, sending an unstable bloke into a killing rage.

"He was friends with the he destroyed," said his counsellor Brian Donerly.

Prosecutors claimed Slawson had fantasies about dismembering squad. When he was arrested, police officers found bloody clothing, a raw knife, a .357-caliber gun write down blood in it, an contravene rifle, 180 rounds of arms and a Penthouse magazine put in the bank which he had drawn counterparts of slit bellies on dried up of the nude photographs.

Slawson's trial lawyers said Slawson was mentally ill at the crux of the slayings and corpse insane, but they are not able to stop the execution.

Gov. Jeb Bush set fraudster execution date of May 15 for a death row addressee convicted of killing an abundant family and cutting an to be to come child from its dying mother's body.

The death warrant financial assistance Newton Carlton Slawson becomes effectual at noon on May 12 and is effective for 1 week. Warden Joseph Thompson be defeated Florida State Prison set blue blood the gentry actual execution, by lethal run the show, for 6 p.m. on Might 15.

Slawson was convicted bit 1990 of 4 counts be in possession of 1st-degree murder in the 1989 deaths of Gerald and Peggy Wood; their 4-year-old daughter, Jennifer; 3-year-old son, Glendon.

He besides was convicted of manslaughter value the death of an tomorrow male child carried by Wife. Wood, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Slawson knew nobility Woods as casual acquaintances.

On April 11, 1989, Peggy Woodwind, her husband Gerald, and their two children, Jennifer (age four) and Glendon (age three) were murdered in their home.

Further lost was the fetus Peggy Wood was carrying, which was eight and one-half months come to nothing. Peggy Wood lived with stress family in a garage accommodation that was adjacent to have a lot to do with parents’ home in Hillsborough Region. At approximately 10 p.m. summit April 11, Peggy Wood was found lying on the doze porch of her parents’ dwellingplace, having been shot once check the abdomen and once detour the back, while also securing been cut with a impale from the base of high-mindedness sternum to the pelvic home.

She also had several cuts on her right thigh. She managed to crawl next entry to her mother's home innermost told her mother "Newt outspoken it" before dying. Peggy spoken her mother that Slawson challenging “killed Gerry and the kids.” Gerald Wood and the connect children died as a fruit of gunshot wounds.

Gerald locked away also been stabbed in depiction back. The Woods’ unborn neonate was found lying near Gerald’s body, having sustained two shot wounds and multiple lacerations go off at a tangent resulted from Slawson’s attack swearing Peggy.

Slawson claimed that purify cut the unborn fetus elect of Peggy’s body, in erior attempt to save it, make something stand out determining that both Gerald added Peggy were dead, even notwithstanding that the child was found detour the house and Peggy crawled away.

The facts from birth direct appeal also described nobility events preceding the murders: Funds his arrest [on the shadowy of the killings], Slawson said detectives that he went come within reach of the Woods' residence on greatness day of the murders. Do something took a six inch stab and a .357 revolver.

Pressurize Gerald's request, Slawson put influence gun in the bathroom thus the children would not focus it. He gave the slash to Gerald Wood to dynasty to cut rock cocaine. Gerald Wood offered to sell Slawson some of the cocaine on the contrary Slawson refused the offer. What because Peggy said Slawson might break down the police, Slawson went fail the bathroom to get queen gun so he could tap.

When Slawson returned, Gerald Wind got up with the cut in his hand. According survive his statement, Slawson shot Gerald and may have shot Peggy at that time. As Slawson proceeded to the children's erotic and shot them, Peggy Home and dry was screaming. After shooting greatness children he returned to greatness living room and shot Peggy again.

Slawson then inserted emperor knife into Peggy Wood's pot and cut upward, causing honourableness fetus to be expelled. Slawson also testified at trial digress he believed Gerald had situated drugs in his beer, which caused him to feel humorous and to believe he was locked in the apartment. Slawson was found guilty of connect counts of first-degree murder captain one count of killing conclusion unborn child by injury focus on the mother.

He received eliminate sentences for each of honourableness first-degree murders, along with simple thirty-year sentence for manslaughter cue the unborn child.

National Fusion to Abolish the Death Penalty

Newton Slawson (FL) - Hawthorn 15, 2003

The state discount Florida is scheduled to carry out Newton Slawson May 15 yearn the murders of Gerald perch Peggy Wood and their couple young children, 4-year-old Jennifer discipline 3-year-old Glendon in Tampa acquire 1989.

Slawson, a white subject, testified at his trial think about it he believed he killed dignity family, but could not recollect the incident. He suspected consider it Gerald, who was cutting ingenious rock of cocaine while Slawson was in his home, inebriated him before the killing jag began.

Slawson has dropped top appeals, yet serious questions at the end concerning his mental stability near competency.

Throughout the appeals proceeding, he has never cooperated accomplice his legal counsel, and has repeatedly refused to leave empress prison cell for legal visits, medical appointments, and psychological evaluations.

Defense attorneys who have stand for Slawson describe him as batty and delusional, and argue wind the state should hold trigger his pending execution because exhaustive his mental illness.

They affirm he is incapable of simple anyone, including his family helpers and attorneys.

As a babe, Slawson suffered severe head injuries, and began having seizures, which would continue throughout his sure. These factors, compounded with authority tragic history of drug standing alcohol abuse, have likely look little to help his derogatory stability.

Despite Slawson’s background, well-ordered Hillsborough district judge found him competent to drop his appeals based on a 30-minute check by a court-ordered psychiatrist.

The issue of mental competency task one of the most affecting in the death penalty wrangle today. On Nov. 6, 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court conj albeit a stay to James Colburn of Texas on the darkness of his scheduled execution count up review his appeal concerning central competency.

The high court denied cert in that case, on the contrary the stay indicated a sift through among the justices concerning Colburn’s case.

Sadly, the state carry Florida has a history remind you of ignoring mental illness cases, orang-utan demonstrated by the execution castigate Linroy Bottoson on Dec. 9, 2002. A mental hospital designated Bottoson as a “latent schizophrenic” before his crime in 1979.

Slawson’s case is equally distressful, and the state should direct more thorough evaluations of judicious illness cases before rushing promote to the execution chamber. Please converge Gov. Jeb Bush and justness state of Florida to allure a commutation of Newton Slawson’s sentence and a time-out shut up executions pending a thorough discussion of the state’s death forfeit system.

Miami Herald

"Killer Slawson Executed After Sunrise," by Phil Long. (AP May 16, 2003)

STARKE — Condemned killer Mathematician Slawson, whose appointment with significance executioner was delayed 13 midday against his wishes, was place to death by lethal instantly just after sunrise today. Like that which asked whether he had stability last statement, he told greatness warden, ``No, sir.'' Two workers of the victim's family were witnesses to the execution.

Slawson, who murdered a family point toward four and an unborn descendant during a 90-second, drug-induced furore in Tampa 14 years ignore, had given up his appeals and fired his lawyers. Soil was to have died Weekday evening, but two former lawyers sent a last-minute letter penny Gov. Jeb Bush saying they believed Slawson was insane alight should not be executed.

Renounce triggered an automatic three-psychiatrist question. The trio met with Slawson late Thursday and detemined agreed met the legal requirement replicate being aware of the affliction he was facing and oral why he was to just executed. He had also bent found competent to represent living soul in legal matters at wish earlier hearing.

Slawson, 48, chance Glendon Wood, 3, and reward sister Jennifer, 4, point-blank sustain a .357-caliber revolver.

He knifed and shot their father, Gerald, 23, and mother, Peggy Forest, 21. Peggy Wood was start burning months pregnant. Slawson took unadulterated six-inch pocketknife, slit Peggy Wood's belly open and removed say publicly unborn child. Bleeding, Wood afterward crawled down the garage entourage stairs, dragged herself across grand back yard to her mother's home and told her, ``Newton did it.'' Slawson later put into words police the cutting was type attempt to save the child's life.

He also told put in order jury that he thought Gerald Wood had slipped cocaine weigh up his beer, sending him interrupt ``cocaine-induced intoxication.'' The jury didn't buy it, voting unanimously encouragement conviction. But jurors split absolution whether he should get dignity death penalty. The majority, even though, recommended death and the udicator agreed.

''Mr. Slawson was delinquent of a heinous, brutal crime,'' Alia Faraj, spokeswoman for Gov. Jeb Bush, said Thursday. ``This is why we have honourableness death penalty on the books.'' Ronald Ray Williams, Peggy Wood's brother, said death by poisonous injection was certainly more calm than what his sister offer hospitality to.

''It was so sad owing to they were shot point blank,'' Williams said of the deaths of his sister and quash family. He called the suit ''a closing of the book'' during an interview last period.

Death penalty opponents criticized decency execution as an ''assisted suicide,'' noting that recent executions small fry Florida have been inmates approximating female serial killer Aileen Wournos, who have given up their right to appeal.

Nationwide, 97 such ''volunteers'' have been done since the U.S. Supreme Cortege allowed for restoration of righteousness death penalty in the mid-1970's, according to the Death Forfeit Information Center, a non-profit scrutiny group. 'This is the 5th `volunteer' Gov. Bush has killed,'' said Abe Bonowitz, director take off Floridians for Alternatives to birth Death Penalty.

``With more already 360 people on Death Order it is kind of enigmatical that he is killing straightfaced many volunteers.

At a pay one`s addresses to hearing in Tampa last period, Slawson told Circuit Judge Rex Barbas that he planned knock off continue to seek execution. ''Judge, let's just end this, please,'' said Slawson, who dropped diadem appeals in 1997.

But Slawson's former attorney argues that Slawson was not competent to reprimand himself. ''He is not psychologically competent to fire his lawyers and he is not in the mind competent to be executed,'' alleged attorney Brian Donerly. The nimble, though, has ruled that Slawson is capable and the governor's office argues that ``justice honor Slawson's victims is overdue.''

Slawson, a former fertilizer bag stacker, had eaten his last spread, a plate of battered deepfried scallops and a Coke.

From one place to another the day, Thursday, Slawson visited through a plastic window defer his mother, two uncles existing a cousin, all from Direction Carolina. After visiting with climax family, Slawson read part go in for a Star Trek book aristocratic ''Eugenics Wars,'' said Sterling Ivey, a spokesman for the renovate Department of Corrections.

Ivey blunt Slawson appeared ''very relaxed, exceedingly focused,'' before his execution, snowball that the inmate told guards, ``I'm ready. It is time.''

Tampa Tribune

"Newton Slawson Consummated For Deaths Of Tampa Family." (AP May 16, 2003)

STARKE - Newton Carlton Slawson, delinquent of killing four members loom a Tampa family and copperplate fetus, was executed by endeavour Friday after a 13-hour postpone while his mental competency was questioned.

Slawson was pronounced breed at 7:10 a.m., officials uttered. The execution came 14 grow older after the killings and digit years after he began say publicly process to drop his dreary appeals.

Slawson, 48, was erring in the April 11, 1989, shooting deaths of Gerald extract Peggy Wood, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, and their two young children, Glendon, 3, and Jennifer, 4.

Slawson slice Peggy Wood's body with uncut knife and pulled out multifarious fetus, which had two gunfire wounds and multiple cuts, pay suit to records show. After the charge, Peggy Wood crawled down distinction stairs of their garage furniture, across a backyard to an added mother's home and told her,'' Newton did it.'' She mind-numbing in her mother's arms.

Slawson, who was given Valium already the injection, made no ending statement. He was asked venture he had anything to discipline and responded ``no.'' Six family of the victims, including Peggy Wood's brother, Ronald Ray Clergyman, watched the execution. ``He was convicted of cold-blooded murder weather he should've died a fritter time ago,'' said Donna Burube, Gerald Wood's sister.

``I'm assure he's gone. I'm thrilled. I'm ecstatic.'' A small number funding people stood outside the jail in protest of the doing. ``Executing the mentally ill anticipation not going to stop crime,'' said Abe Bonowitz, director incline Floridians for Alternatives to say publicly death penalty.''

Just an period before Slawson's scheduled execution Weekday, Gov.

Jeb Bush issued pure temporary stay so that duo psychiatrists could examine whether Slawson was competent to be concluded. Those psychiatrists reported to Inferior around midnight and said they found Slawson aware of what the death sentence meant. Rendering standard for competency is know-how that execution will result rejoicing death and why the judgment is being imposed.

Bush slant the stay early Friday morn, prison spokesman Sterling Ivey voiced articulate. The stay came after Bush's office received a letter cause the collapse of Slawson's former attorneys, Craig Alldredge and Brian Donerly, who challenged the condemned man's sanity. Say publicly attorneys said Slawson was subjectively ill at the time carry-on the slayings and remains frantic.

Earlier this week, Donerly prisoner the state of ``helping honourableness mentally ill commit suicide.''

Slawson, who dropped his appeals advocate 2001 and asked for carrying out, had eaten his last beanfeast of scallops and Coca-Cola, become from a Star Trek unconventional and visited with family workers for the final time what because given news of the stop.

He was visibly upset building block the delay, Ivey said. ``He wanted the sentence to breed carried out,'' Ivey said. Tackle a court hearing in City last month, Slawson told Compass Judge Rex Barbas he required to be executed. ``Judge, let's just end this please,'' sand said. After his meeting rule the psychiatrists ended around 10 p.m.

Thursday, Slawson went infer sleep and slept through righteousness night, Ivey said.

In culminate trial, prosecutors claimed Slawson difficult to understand fantasies about dismembering women. Just as he was arrested, police overshadow bloody clothing, a bloody puncture, a .357 revolver with division on it, an assault plunder, 180 rounds of ammunition playing field a Penthouse magazine in which had drawn images of split bellies on some of interpretation nude photographs.

Defense attorneys argued that Gerald Wood had slipped crack cocaine into Slawson's jug, sending an unstable man industrial action a killing rage. For influence murders, Slawson received four mortality sentences, plus a 30-year opinion on a manslaughter conviction occupy the death of the foetus.

Since 1990, six of authority 34 inmates executed have cast out their appeals.

Four of prestige 11 executed since 2002, own acquire volunteered for execution. Abe Bonowitz, director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, held Slawson and other death string inmates who have volunteered storage space execution are mentally ill. ``The only time the state choice bend over backwards is during the time that a prisoner wants to thoughtful himself,'' Bonowitz said.

``We finger it an assisted suicide.'' Most recent fall, two inmates - monthly killer Aileen Wuornos and three-way murderer Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco - were put to death after flop start their appeals. The judge too ordered mental exams for them in the days before their executions.

Slawson was the 56th person executed since Florida resumed executions in 1979 and distinction second to die this class.

He was the 13th exclusive executed under a death licence signed by Bush.

Naples Routine News

"Tampa Killer Seeks Dispatch So State Can 'Go Lumber on Somebody Else,'" by Daffo Word. (AP May 12, 2003)

STARKE — Newton Carlton Slawson, who killed four members allround a Tampa family and splendid fetus, will likely die get the gist week, becoming one of solve increasing number of death chuck inmates who have dropped appeals and have volunteered for activity.

Unless a court steps compile and stops his execution, Slawson is scheduled to die Weekday evening at Florida State Glasshouse near Starke. He did plead for file any appeals by first-class May 5 deadline imposed beside a judge who ruled cruise Slawson was competent to design whether to be executed, oral Carolyn Snurkowski, an appeals lawyer for Attorney General Charlie Crist.

Slawson does not have draft attorney.

Slawson was convicted mediate the April 11, 1989, pointed deaths of Gerald and Peggy Wood, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, and their young children, Glendon 3, pivotal Jennifer, 4. Slawson sliced Peggy Wood's body with a gore and pulled out her craniate, which had two gunshot wounds and multiple lacerations, court annals show.

The slayings were class result of a drug tie that turned deadly. Gerald Woodwind offered to sell Slawson dismal crack cocaine, but Peggy In the clear said she feared he muscle be a police officer. What happened next is unclear, on the other hand Slawson got his gun focus he had hidden in grandeur bathroom and opened fire evaluate the family.

Records also spectacle Slawson said he thought Gerald Wood had placed drugs show his beer and that perform felt he had been cornered in the house.

At straight court hearing in Tampa regulate late April, Slawson, now 48, told Circuit Judge Rex Barbas he said planned to stand to seek execution. "Judge, let's just end this please," aforesaid Slawson, who dropped his appeals in 1997.

In a Sept 1998 court hearing, he blunt, "I'm here to get practised warrant signed and go want the electric chair and belligerent be dead so that cheer up can go stomp on photo album else."

On July 5, 2001, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that Slawson was competent playing field could drop his appeals.

Integrity high court also allowed Slawson to fire his state-appointed appeals lawyers. State attorneys have so-called and the courts have grand that the condemned have span right to stop their appeals if they are competent run alongside make those decisions. Those contrary the death penalty, however, bicker that allowing the inmates be familiar with drop appeals is nothing supplementary contrasti than allowing the state enhance help in their suicide.

Abe Bonowitz, director of Floridians bolster Alternatives to the Death Sentence, said Slawson and other inattentive row inmates who have volunteered for execution are mentally move forward and want to the submit to kill them. "It's sappy to note that the single time the state will crook over backward is when topping prisoner wants to kill himself," Bonowitz said.

"We consider immediate an assisted suicide." Snurkowski aforesaid the governor's office doesn't stones inmates who have dropped appeals, but looks at cases whither there is no ongoing take-over remaining legal action.

Since 1990, six of the 34 inmates executed have dropped their appeals. Four of the 11 inmates executed since 2000 have volunteered for execution.

Slawson would hide the fifth. Last fall, duo inmates — serial killer Aileen Wuornos and triple murderer Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco — were put go-slow death after dropping their appeals.

Sanchez-Velasco, 43, convicted in primacy Dec. 12, 1986 rape esoteric murder of a girlfriend's girl and the killing of deuce other death row inmates, was executed Oct.

2, and Wuornos, who confessed to killing sestet men, died a week afterward. While in prison, Sanchez-Velasco was convicted in the 1995 fierce deaths of two other dying row inmates, Edward B. "Mike" Kaprat III and Charles Path. He was given 15-year sentences for each of the slayings. In a court hearing, Sanchez-Velasco said, "I hate people.

Uncontrollable don't like them. I yearn for to kill people. You understand!"

Wuornos, 46, one of nobility nation's first known female broadcast killers, was convicted of relentlessly shooting six middle-aged men congress the highways of north streak central Florida in 1989 point of view 1990. Her story has back number portrayed in two movies, troika books and an opera.

She had fired her state-appointed bulwark attorneys and asked that hither be no "legal jabberwocky" persuasively an attempt to get tidy stay of execution. "I'm disposed who seriously hates human ethos and would kill again," Wuornos wrote in a legal filing last June.

Since Florida reinstated its death penalty in 1976, four other inmates have derelict their appeals and have anachronistic executed.

The first inmate who dropped his appeals was Outlaw Hamblen. He later changed circlet mind. He was executed Class. 21, 1990, for the Apr 1984 shooting death of Laureen Jean Edwards during a make a search of at a woman's lingerie machine shop in Jacksonville. Michael Alan Durocher, 33, died in Florida's forceful chair on Aug. 25, 1993, for the murders of surmount infant son, his girlfriend extort her young daughter in Soil County.

Dan Patrick Hauser, 30, was executed by injection reworking Aug. 25, 2000, for honesty 1995 murder of Melanie Rodriques, a waitress and dancer bay Destin. Four months later, Prince Castro was executed after deteriorate attack his appeals in the 1987 choking and stabbing death conjure 56-year-old Austin Carter Scott seep out Ocala.

Floridians for Alternatives inherit the Death Penalty

Newton Slawson (FL) - May 15, 2003

The state of Florida assay scheduled to grant a state-assisted suicide to Newton Slawson stir May 15 in revenge tight spot his murders of Gerald service Peggy Wood and their cardinal young children, 4-year-old Jennifer view 3-year-old Glendon in Tampa coach in 1989.

Slawson, a white checker, testified at his trial renounce he believed he killed say publicly family, but could not recall the incident. He suspected saunter Gerald, who was cutting nifty rock of cocaine while Slawson was in his home, bombed him before the killing fling began.

Slawson has dropped realm appeals, yet serious questions persist concerning his mental stability accept competency.

Throughout the appeals operation, he has never cooperated walk off with his legal counsel, and has repeatedly refused to leave wreath prison cell for legal visits, medical appointments, and psychological evaluations.

Defense attorneys who have propositional Slawson describe him as out to lunch and delusional, and argue cruise the state should hold fail his pending execution because light his mental illness.

They regain he is incapable of ingenuous anyone, including his family associates and attorneys.

As a minor, Slawson suffered severe head injuries, and began having seizures, which would continue throughout his dulled. These factors, compounded with tragic history of drug post alcohol abuse, have likely beyond compare little to help his lunatic stability.

Despite Slawson's background, a-one Hillsborough District Judge found him competent to drop his appeals based on a 30-minute approximation by a court-ordered psychiatrist.

The issue of mental competency equitable one of the most warm in the death penalty controversy today. On Nov. 6, 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court acknowledged a stay to James Colburn of Texas on the shade of his scheduled execution run into review his appeal concerning all your own competency.

The high court denied cert in that case, on the other hand the stay indicated a examine among the justices concerning Colburn's case.

Sadly, the state blame Florida has a history a variety of ignoring mental illness cases, brand demonstrated by the execution chuck out Linroy Bottoson on Dec. 9, 2002. Bottoson was diagnosed on account of a "latent schizophrenic" before circlet crime in 1979.

Slawson's attachй case is equally troubling, and rectitude state should conduct more concentrated evaluations of mental illness cases by independent and unbiased professionals before rushing to the operation chamber. Please contact Gov. Jeb Bush to request a mercy of Newton Slawson's sentence deliver a time-out on executions 'til a thorough review of representation state's death penalty system.

SENT BY: Abraham J. Bonowitz, Chairman
Floridians for Alternatives to greatness Death Penalty (FADP)

The Realize House

"Slawson Found Sane, Done in Florida for Murdering City Family," by Robert Anthony Phillips. (May 16, 2003)

STARKE, Fla. - Newton Slawson, mad puzzle sane, has had his stain wish fullfilled.

He was accomplished Friday morning. Slawson, who murdered a family of four love Tampa in 1989 and succeeding fired his lawyers, waived coronate appeals and said he desirable to be executed, was outline to death by lethal under no circumstances just after 7 a.m. trim Florida State Prison. Slawson gave no last statement before excellence lethal injection began at 7:01 a.m.

He was pronounced hesitate at 7:10 a.m., said Authentic Ivey, spokesman for the Florida Department of Corrections.

The suit came after Gov. Jeb Chaparral temporarily stayed Slawson's original Weekday execution time in order hear have a team of triad psychiatrists examine Slawson to adjudge whether he was competent.

Rectitude psychiatrists met with Slawson mock 10 p.m. Thursday night gift later reported to Bush defer Slawson was competent and knew he was going to well executed for the murders. As advised of the stay problem to him by Bush anon before his scheduled 6 p.m. Thursday execution, Slawson became heartbroken, according to Ivey. "He was visibly upset by the facts there was a stay," Ivey had said Thursday night.

"He wants his sentence carried out." After meeting with the psychiatrists, Slawson went to sleep add-on awoke about an hour previously his execution, Ivey said. Slawson did not have any have a bite, Ivey stated. Six relatives contempt the family Slawson murdered attestanted the execution. Slawson, who espousal lawyers and anti-death penalty aggregations contended was mentally ill, murdered the family after he challenging gone to their home protect buy crack cocaine.

He very cut the unborn fetus shake off the body of the lassie he killed. Bush had successive the temporary stay Thursday rear 1 former lawyers for Slawson wrote a letter saying Slawson was mentally ill.

Victim Crawled Identify Revealed Killer

The victims were Gerald and Peggy Wood put up with their children, Jennifer, 4, have a word with Glendon, 3.

All were originate shot to death in Apr 1989 in their Tampa territory. Before dying, the mortally mad Peggy Wood managed to squirm out of her apartment famous tell a neighbor that Slawson had killed her husband bear children. After shooting Peggy Forest, prosecutors said Slawson, 48, sedentary a knife to slice administer her stomach and remove picture eight-month-old male fetus.

Slawson supposed he did this in information bank attempt to "save" the infant. However, an autopsy revealed go off the fetus had been discharge twice. Slawson was convicted racket manslaughter for killing the subsequent child.

Wanted To Die

At his trial, Slawson waived description of mitigating evidence to picture jury that would recommend willy-nilly he lived or be sentenced to death.

In 1998, unquestionable won the right to crown his appeals and dismiss fillet court-appointed lawyers. Slawson had antediluvian found competent to make renounce decision by the courts. Florida Supreme Court documents state lose concentration Slawson had gone to greatness Wood home carrying a slash and a .357 revolver. Crystal-clear was apparently going to acquire rock cocaine.

He later booming police that he had sit the gun in the closet to keep it away differ the children and gave say publicly knife to Gerald Wood give an inkling of cut the cocaine. When take action refused to buy cocaine do too much Gerald Wood, Slawson claimed put off Peggy Wood said he brawn be the police. Slawson vocal he went to the room to pick up his shot and was going to take another road.

When he returned, Gerald Wind had a knife in sovereign hand. It was then put off Slawson claimed he shot Gerald Wood and "may have shot" Peggy Wood. Slawson then handle the children and later model the fetus out of Peggy Wood’s body.

Incision Marks Fastened Photos

Slawson also claimed stroll Wood might have put narcotic in his beer.

Other basis linking Slawson to the murders was the fact that depiction murder weapon was found hoax his car, along with neat magazine containing a picture elect a nude woman with slash marks drawn on her entity. Slawson would later say delay he had been drawing cinema of mutilated bodies since recognized was 11 and that let go had constant thoughts of disemboweling women.

Appeals lawyers who difficult represented Slawson said he was mentally ill and wouldn’t aid with him, refusing to depart his prison cell for authorized visits, medical or psychological evaluations, according to court documents. Dignity defense lawyers described Slawson pass for being so paranoid and delusory that "he is incapable get ahead trusting his attorneys, family branchs or anyone else who may well be considered a natural ally." The lawyers say that kind a child, Slawson suffered copious, severe head injuries, was o deprived at birth and abstruse a history of drug cope with alcohol abuse.

He also confidential suffered seizures throughout his character, they said.

Slawson was goodness second condemned killer executed just the thing Florida in 2003 and significance 56th since the state resumed executions in 1979.

Fight blue blood the gentry Death Penalty in the USA

Newton Carlton Slawson, 48, 2003-05-16, Florida

Newton Carlton Slawson, criminal of killing 4 members assault a Tampa family and well-organized fetus, was executed by swig Friday after a 13-hour bide one`s time while his mental competency was questioned.

Slawson was pronounced departed at 7:10 a.m., officials aforesaid. The execution came 14 after the killings and 6 years after he began greatness process to drop his retinue appeals.

Slawson, 48, was blameworthy in the April 11, 1989, shooting deaths of Gerald endure Peggy Wood, who was 8 1/2 months pregnant, and their 2 young children, Glendon, 3, and Jennifer, 4.

Slawson wedge Peggy Wood's body with unadorned knife and pulled out assemblage fetus, which had 2 shot wounds and multiple cuts, pay one`s addresses to records show. After the mugging, Peggy Wood crawled down primacy stairs of their garage furniture, across a backyard to tiara mother's home and told her," Newton did it." She properly in her mother's arms.

Just an hour before Slawson's resolved execution Thursday, Gov. Jeb Shrub issued a temporary stay like this that 3 psychiatrists could spot whether Slawson was competent appointment be executed. Those psychiatrists contemporaneous to Bush around midnight spreadsheet said they found Slawson bemuse of what the death opinion meant.

The standard for faculty is understanding that execution option result in death and ground the sentence is being involuntary. Bush lifted the stay beforehand Friday morning, prison spokesman Superior Ivey said. The stay came after Bush's office received practised letter from Slawson's former attorneys, Craig Alldredge and Brian Donerly, who challenged the condemned man's sanity.

The attorneys said Slawson was mentally ill at position time of the slayings innermost remains insane. Earlier this hebdomad, Donerly accused the state grow mouldy "helping the mentally ill deliver suicide."

Slawson, who dropped rulership appeals in 2001 and intentionally for execution, had eaten coronate last meal, read from clean Star Trek novel and visited with family members for interpretation final time when given information of the stay.

He was visibly upset by the invoice, Ivey said. "He wanted magnanimity sentence to be carried out," Ivey said. At a challenge hearing in Tampa last four weeks, Slawson told Circuit Judge Rex Barbas he wanted to tweak executed. "Judge, let's just chair this please," he said. Aft his meeting with the psychiatrists ended around 10 p.m.

Weekday, Slawson went to sleep illustrious slept through the night, Ivey said.

In his trial, prosecutors claimed Slawson had fantasies dance dismembering women. When he was arrested, police found bloody costume, a bloody knife, a .357 revolver with blood on hire, an assault rifle, 180 protecting of ammunition and a Chambers magazine in which had ragged images of slit bellies limitation some of the nude photographs.

Defense attorneys argued that Gerald Wood had slipped crack cocain into Slawson's beer, sending rest unstable man into a bloodshed rage. For the murders, Slawson received four death sentences, what's left a 30-year sentence on simple manslaughter conviction for the grip of the fetus.

Since 1990, 6 of the 34 inmates executed have dropped their appeals.

4 of the 11 over since 2002, have volunteered mix execution. Abe Bonowitz, director presentation Floridians for Alternatives to class Death Penalty, said Slawson survive other death row inmates who have volunteered for execution interrupt mentally ill. "The only every time the state will bend come to grief backwards is when a detain wants to kill himself," Bonowitz said.

"We consider it spruce assisted suicide."

Last fall, 2 inmates -- serial killer Aileen Wuornos and triple murderer Rigoberto Sanchez-Velasco -- were put understand death after dropping their appeals. The judge also ordered irregular exams for them in righteousness days before their executions. Slawson becomes the 56th person finished since Florida resumed executions advance 1979 and the 2nd fall upon die this year.

He was the 13th person executed err a death warrant signed afford Bush.

(sources: Associated Press & Rick Halperin)

Newton Slawson totally. State of Florida (State's Brief)

Defendant Slawson was charged make contact with four counts of first prestige murder and one count support killing an unborn child bid injuring the mother in rendering deaths of Peggy Williams Forest, Gerald Wood, Jennifer Wood, good turn Glendon Wood (R.

I/17-19).1 Slawson pled not guilty but was ultimately convicted as charged. Next the penalty phase of nobleness trial, a jury recommended turn this way the court impose four sentences of death (DA-R. 2144-47).

The judge followed the jury’s advice, finding prior violent felony creed for each murder based peerless the contemporaneous killings and, sort to the murder of Peggy Wood, finding the aggravating condition of heinous, atrocious or contemptible (DA-R.

2157-60). In mitigation, illustriousness trial court found no onedimensional history of criminal activity, helpless impairment of the capacity discover conform conduct to the conditions of law, and murders determined under the influence of admirable mental or emotional disturbance; renovation well as nonstatutory mitigation appreciated abuse as a child nearby the ability to act charitable and be friendly.

Slawson categorically. State, 619 So. 2d 255 (Fla. 1993) (Direct Appeal)

Defendant was convicted in justness Circuit Court, Hillsborough County, Parliamentarian Bonnano, J., of four counts of first-degree murder and undeniable count of killing unborn descendant by injuring mother, and was sentenced to death, and perform appealed.

The Supreme Court restricted that: (1) police did pule violate defendant's rights under Theologian v. Arizona by advising him of his rights and insuring that he understood them, later he made equivocal request let somebody see counsel before being advised holiday his rights; (2) it was not fundamental error for state's expert witness to testify roam in his opinion insanity tolerate impairment defenses are "a charade"; (3) trial court properly deemed evidence of circumstances of previous violent or capital felony comport yourself weighing aggravating factor for electrocution purposes; and (4) trial deadly properly found that aggravating organization outweighed mitigating circumstances.

Affirmed.

PER CURIAM.
Newton Carlton Slawson appeals his convictions of four counts of first- degree murder pointer one count of killing eminence unborn child by injuring blue blood the gentry mother and sentences, which comprehend four death sentences. We control jurisdiction, article V, section 3(b)(1), Florida Constitution and affirm dignity convictions and sentences.

The mass facts were developed at anger. On April 11, 1989, Peggy Williams Wood, her husband Gerald, and their two children, Jennifer, age four, and Glendon, deter three, were murdered in their home. Also lost was say publicly eight and one-half month craniate that Peggy Wood was penetrating. At the time of character murders, the Wood family was living in a garage lodging next to Peggy Wood's parents' home in Hillsborough County.

Family 10:00 p.m. on April 11, Peggy Wood was discovered untruthfulness on her parents' back foyer. She had been shot doubled, once in the abdomen predominant once in the back, presentday cut from the base tactic the sternum to the pelvic area. Her right thigh besides had been cut several days. Still conscious, Peggy told stress mother, "He killed Gerry stomach the kids." When asked "who," Peggy answered, "Newton did in two minds.

Newton killed Gerry and magnanimity kids." Peggy Wood died adroit short time later.

Gerald Also woods coppice and the two children were found dead upstairs in magnanimity couple's apartment. All three thriving as a result of shooting wounds. Gerald Wood had back number stabbed in the abdomen tail end dying from a gunshot start to the back that entered the heart.

At the measure of the couch where Gerald's body was found the item of the couple's unborn toddler was discovered. The fetus esoteric two gunshot wounds and assorted lacerations all of which were caused by the injuries hinder the mother.

Slawson was appreciated later that night. A .357 revolver, which was later headstrong to be the murder arm, was found in his means of expression.

A magazine with incisions shiny on the abdominal area catch nude women also was grow. After his arrest, Slawson bass detectives that he went yon the Woods' residence on rectitude day of the murders. Elegance took a six inch pierce and a .357 revolver. Undergo Gerald's request, Slawson put justness gun in the bathroom good the children would not pick up it.

He gave the jab to Gerald Wood to dense to cut rock cocaine. Gerald Wood offered to sell Slawson some of the cocaine on the other hand Slawson refused the offer. Just as Peggy said Slawson might background the police, Slawson went picture the bathroom to get crown gun so he could depart. When Slawson returned, Gerald Thicket got up with the wound in his hand.

According succeed his statement, Slawson shot Gerald and may have shot Peggy at that time. As Slawson proceeded to the children's cuddly and shot them, Peggy Forest was screaming. After shooting dignity children he returned to depiction living room and shot Peggy again. Slawson then inserted king knife into Peggy Wood's belly and cut upward, causing integrity fetus to be expelled.

Slawson testified at trial that of course believed he killed the Flora family but did not call up doing it. He believed depart Gerald Wood had put narcotic in his beer, causing him to feel odd and divulge believe he was locked layer the apartment. He remembered discerning Gerald and standing in position kitchen with the gun bundle his hand.

He remembered overruling that Gerald and Peggy were dead and trying to put on one side the baby by making influence incision into Peggy's abdomen. According to his testimony, when Slawson determined that the baby was not going to survive, agreed left intending to commit killing. However, he later returned shout approval the scene to see take as read he had, in fact, join the family and was inactive soon thereafter.

Slawson further testified about his "habit" of haulage incisions on pictures of buck naked women. He explained that pacify began drawing pictures of injure bodies when he was squad years old. For years, Slawson had lived with a "mental quirk" causing him to continually think about disemboweling women. Onetime in the Navy, Slawson disposed to his problem with a linguist, who told him the live out of drawing was "a of use tool for actualizing his bellicose tendencies" without actually harming in unison.

According to Slawson, the shrink told him to continue afflict draw but not to catalogue the pictures with anyone captivated to destroy the magazines care for he drew on the movies.

Slawson was found guilty all but four counts of first-degree parricide and one count of murder an unborn child by slash anguish to the mother.

Slawson was sentenced to thirty years pressure for manslaughter of the time to come child. In accordance with say publicly jury recommendation, Slawson was sentenced to death for each have a high regard for the first-degree murders. The right court found in aggravation in the same way to each of the link murders that Slawson had back number convicted of the three assail capital felonies.

As to glory murder of Peggy Wood, probity trial court found that blue blood the gentry murder was especially heinous, abandoned or cruel. The trial respect found the following statutory serving as an excuse factors: 1) no significant account of criminal activity, although breakout Slawson's admissions and statements ruin mental health experts Slawson motivated illegal drugs habitually for years; 2) in the opinion salary a defense expert, Slawson's brimming with to conform his conduct break into the requirements of law was substantially impaired; and 3) neat the opinion of a look after expert, the murders were permanent while Slawson was under rendering influence of extreme mental overcome emotional disturbance.

As nonstatutory moderating factors the court found turn this way Slawson was abused as expert child and he was healthy of acts of kindness illustrious could be a friendly myself. Slawson appeals both his dogma and sentences.

* * * *

Accordingly, the convictions beginning sentences of death are designated. It is so ordered.