Title: James Bernard Belcher v. Julie L. Jones, etc.
Citation: N/A
Docket Number: SC17-1144
State: Florida
Issuer: Florida Supreme Court
Date: November 2, 2017

Supreme Court of Florida 
 
 
____________ 
 
No. SC17-1144 
____________ 
 
 
JAMES BERNARD BELCHER, 
Petitioner, 
 
vs. 
 
JULIE L. JONES, etc., 
Respondent. 
 
[November 2, 2017] 
 
PER CURIAM. 
 
Petitioner James Bernard Belcher has filed a petition for writ of habeas 
corpus, challenging the constitutionality of his death sentence, which was based 
upon a nonunanimous jury recommendation.  See Belcher v. State, 851 So. 2d 678 
(Fla. 2003).  We have jurisdiction.  See art. V, § 3(b)(9), Fla. Const.  Because 
Belcher’s sentence became final after Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584 (2002), he is 
entitled to relief.  See Mosley v. State, 209 So. 3d 1248 (Fla. 2016).  Accordingly, 
we grant the petition, vacate the sentence of death, and remand this case for a new 
penalty phase proceeding. 
 
 
 
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It is so ordered. 
LABARGA, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, and QUINCE, JJ., concur. 
LAWSON, J., concurs specially with an opinion. 
CANADY and POLSTON, JJ., dissent. 
 
NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION AND, 
IF FILED, DETERMINED. 
 
LAWSON, J., concurring specially. 
 
See Okafor v. State, 42 Fla. L. Weekly S639, S641, 2017 WL 2481266, at 
*6 (Fla. June 8, 2017) (Lawson, J., concurring specially). 
Original Proceeding – Habeas Corpus 
Christopher J. Anderson of Law Office of Christopher J. Anderson, Neptune 
Beach, Florida; and Billy H. Nolas, Chief, Capital Habeas Unit, Office of the 
Federal Public Defender, Northern District of Florida, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
for Petitioner 
 
Pamela Jo Bondi, Attorney General, and Charmaine M. Millsaps, Senior Assistant 
Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, 
 
for Respondent