Case Name: Harry E. KING, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent
Court: Florida Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 1962-07-11
Citations: 143 So. 2d 458
Docket Number: No. 31623
Parties: Harry E. KING, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
Judges: ROBERTS, C. J., and TERRELL, J., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 143
Pages: 458–470

Head Matter:
Harry E. KING, Petitioner, v. STATE of Florida, Respondent.
No. 31623.
Supreme Court of Florida.
July 11, 1962.
L. Grady Burton, Wauchula, and Chester Bedell, Jacksonville, for petitioner.
Richard W. Ervin, Atty. Gen., and Edward S. Jaffry, Asst. Atty. Gen., for respondent.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
The historical background is set forth in the case of Gordon v. State, Fla., 104 So.2d 524 and King v. State, Fla.App., 134 So.2d 502. This court has jurisdiction to review the matter; compare Alkire's Estate, 144 Fla. 606, 198 So. 475; Way v. State, Fla., 67 So.2d 321; Diecidue v. State, Fla., 131 So.2d 7; and Trafficante v. State, Fla., 92 So.2d 811. A careful examination of the record demonstrates that the Circuit Court, acting as an appellate court, departed from essential requirements of the law in affirming King's conviction on the sole ground that the District Court's opinion in the Gordon case settled all of the points raised on the appeal and the questions involved therein. Further, it appears that the trial court inadvertently failed to observe the rule of the decision announced by this court in the Way, Diecidue and Traficante cases, supra, applying F.S. 918.09, F.S.A., prohibiting a prosecuting attorney from commenting on the failure of an accused to testify on his own behalf.
Accordingly, certiorari is granted, the opinion of the District Court is quashed with directions to vacate and set aside the decision of the Circuit Court and to remand the case to that court with directions to decide the appeal on the merits in accordance with our prior decisions.
It is so ordered.
ROBERTS, C. J., and TERRELL, J., concur.
DREW, J., concurs with opinion.
HOBSON, (Ret.), J., concurs specially with opinion.
THOMAS and O'CONNELL, JJ., dissent.
THORNAL, J., dissents with opinion.