Case Name: STATE of Florida, Petitioner, v. George Albert GANT, Respondent
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2007-02-02
Citations: 946 So. 2d 1291
Docket Number: No. 5D06-3566
Parties: STATE of Florida, Petitioner, v. George Albert GANT, Respondent.
Judges: PALMER, ORFINGER and EVANDER, JJ., concur:
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 946
Pages: 1291–1291

Head Matter:
STATE of Florida, Petitioner, v. George Albert GANT, Respondent.
No. 5D06-3566.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.
Feb. 2, 2007.
Harrison T. Slaughter, Jr., of Leventhal & Slaughter, P.A., Orlando, for Petitioner.
Lawson L. Lamar, State Attorney, and Linda Drane Burdick, Assistant State Attorney, Orlando, for Respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The State of Florida seeks certiorari review of the trial court's non-final order suppressing similar fact evidence from being admitted during George Gant's sexual battery trial. The State has failed to demonstrate that the trial court's ruling departs from the essential requirements of law; therefore, its petition for certiorari review is denied.
The trial court entered a thoughtful and considered order after applying the correct legal test to the evidence offered. The court carefully articulated the positive and negative aspects of the State's similar fact evidence and conducted the proper balancing test, as codified in section 90.403 of the Florida Statutes (2006).
PETITION DENIED.
PALMER, ORFINGER and EVANDER, JJ., concur: