Title: Nelson v. State
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC17-939
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: January 31, 2018

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC17-939 
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JOSHUA D. NELSON,  
Appellant, 
 
vs. 
 
STATE OF FLORIDA,  
Appellee. 
 
[January 31, 2018] 
 
 
 
PER CURIAM. 
We have for review Joshua D. Nelson’s appeal of the circuit court’s order 
denying Nelson’s motion filed pursuant to Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 
3.851.  This Court has jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla. Const.   
Nelson’s motion sought relief pursuant to the United States Supreme Court’s 
decision in Hurst v. Florida, 136 S. Ct. 616 (2016), and our decision on remand in 
Hurst v. State (Hurst), 202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 2161 
(2017).  This Court stayed Nelson’s appeal pending the disposition of Hitchcock v. 
State, 226 So. 3d 216 (Fla. 2017), cert. denied, 138 S. Ct. 513 (2017).  After this 
 
 
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Court decided Hitchcock, Nelson responded to this Court’s order to show cause 
arguing why Hitchcock should not be dispositive in this case. 
After reviewing Nelson’s response to the order to show cause, as well as the 
State’s arguments in reply, we conclude that Nelson is not entitled to relief.  
Nelson was sentenced to death following a jury’s unanimous recommendation for 
death.  Nelson v. State, 748 So. 2d 237, 240 (Fla. 1999).  His sentence of death 
became final in 2000.  Nelson v. Florida, 528 U.S. 1123 (2000).  Thus, Hurst does 
not apply retroactively to Nelson’s sentence of death.  See Hitchcock, 226 So. 3d at 
217.  Accordingly, we affirm the denial of Nelson’s motion. 
The Court having carefully considered all arguments raised by Nelson, we 
caution that any rehearing motion containing reargument will be stricken.  It is so 
ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and QUINCE, POLSTON, and LAWSON, JJ., concur. 
PARIENTE, J., concurs in result with an opinion. 
LEWIS and CANADY, JJ., concur in result. 
PARIENTE, J., concurring in result. 
I concur in result because I recognize that this Court’s opinion in Hitchcock 
v. State, 226 So. 3d 216 (Fla. 2017), cert. denied, 138 S. Ct. 513 (2017), is now 
final.  However, I continue to adhere to the views expressed in my dissenting 
opinion in Hitchcock. 
An Appeal from the Circuit Court in and for Lee County,  
Joseph C. Fuller, Jr., Judge - Case No. 361995CF000911000ACH 
 
 
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Linda McDermott of McClain & McDermott, P.A., Estero, Florida; and John 
Abatecola of John Abatecola, P.A., Estero, Florida, 
 
 
for Appellant 
 
Pamela Jo Bondi, Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, and Lisa Martin, 
Assistant Attorney General, Tampa, Florida,  
 
 
for Appellee