Opinion ID: 1831265
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: The facts of this case, as set forth in this Court's direct appeal opinion, are as follows: The defendant, Fred Cummings-El, dated the victim, Kathy Good, for a short period and the two lived together for several months. After the relationship ended, Cummings-El harassed Good and she eventually obtained a restraining order after he assaulted her at a neighbor's house. He then made numerous verbal threats, such as: Kathy, I'm going to kill you. Kathy, I'm going to kill you [ ]; and I love her. If I can't have her, nobody [can] have her.; and finally If I can't have you, ain't nobody going to have you. Cummings-El broke into Good's home in the early morning hours of September 16, 1991, and stabbed her several times while she was sleeping, killing her. Several people heard Good's screams and saw Cummings-El at the scene. Good's eight-year-old son, Tadarius, was asleep in bed with his mother and awoke to see Cummings-El punching his mother. Good's twenty-year-old nephew, Michael Adams, was asleep on the floor of Good's bedroom and saw Cummings-El fleeing from the house. And Good's mother, Daisy Adams, confronted Cummings-El as he was leaving the bedroom. Cummings-El, whose face was only one or two feet from Daisy's, shoved Daisy to the ground and ran. Good then staggered from the bedroom and collapsed in her mother's arms, saying Fred, Fred. Cummings-El v. State, 684 So.2d 729, 730-31 (Fla.1996). The jury convicted Cummings-El of first-degree murder and armed burglary, and recommended death by an eight-to-four vote. The trial court followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Cummings-El to death, finding four aggravating circumstances: (1) Cummings-El had three prior violent felony convictions; (2) the murder was committed during the course of a felony; (3) the murder was heinous, atrocious, or cruel (HAC); and (4) the murder was cold, calculated, and premeditated (CCP). The trial court found no mitigating circumstances. State v. Cummings-El, No. 91-32268 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. order filed Feb. 19, 1993). Cummings-El appealed his conviction and sentence to this Court, raising six issues. [1] This Court affirmed the conviction and sentence of death. Cummings-El v. State, 684 So.2d 729 (Fla.1996). On May 26, 1999, Cummings-El filed an amended rule 3.850 motion for postconviction relief, raising eleven issues. [2] The postconviction court held a Huff [3] hearing and thereafter summarily denied all but one of Cummings-El's claims. The court granted an evidentiary hearing regarding Cummings-El's claim that trial counsel was ineffective for failing to investigate and present mitigating evidence at the penalty phase of trial. After the Huff hearing, Cummings-El expressed dissatisfaction with his attorney. The postconviction court conducted an inquiry into Cummings-El's claim, discharged the attorney, and appointed a new attorney. On June 22, 2000, Cummings-El filed a second amended rule 3.850 motion for postconviction relief, raising three additional issues. [4] On July 13, 2000, Cummings-El filed a third amended motion for postconviction relief, raising one additional claim. [5] On September 25, 2000, the postconviction court held a second Huff hearing on Cummings-El's newly added claims. The postconviction court found that Cummings-El's additional claims were technically untimely, but because counsel had been recently appointed and investigated the additional claims in a reasonable period of time after his appointment, the court agreed to consider the additional claims. The court thereafter summarily denied claims twelve and thirteen. The court determined that claim fourteen would be considered as a supplement to claim five. Finally, the court denied claim fifteen without prejudice for defense counsel to obtain a sworn affidavit of recantation or sworn testimony subject to cross-examination from Tadarius Williams. If defense counsel produced such evidence, the court agreed to hear claim fifteen at the previously scheduled evidentiary hearing. State v. Cummings-El, No. F91-33268 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. order filed Oct. 11, 2000). Following the evidentiary hearing, the postconviction court entered a final order denying all relief. State v. Cummings-El, No. F91-33268 (Fla. 11th Cir. Ct. order filed June 14, 2002). Cummings-El now appeals the postconviction court's denial of his rule 3.850 motion. He also petitions this Court for a writ of habeas corpus.