Opinion ID: 1611278
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Capital Felony was Committed to Avoid Lawful Arrest or Effecting an Escape:

Text: We have held that when the victim is not a law enforcement officer, proof of intent to avoid arrest or effectuate escape must be very strong in order to support a finding of this aggravating factor. Riley v. State, 366 So.2d 19, 22 (Fla. 1978). See Bates v. State, 465 So.2d 490 (Fla. 1985); White v. State, 403 So.2d 331, 338 (Fla. 1981) (elimination of witness must be dominant motive behind murder where victim is not a police officer), cert. denied, 463 U.S. 1229, 103 S.Ct. 3571, 77 L.Ed.2d 1412 (1983). Scull contends there is no evidence to support the assertion that elimination of a witness was the dominant motive behind these killings. We agree. It is mere speculation on the part of the state that witness elimination was the dominant motive behind the murder committed by Scull. Therefore, we believe that this circumstance is not supported by competent and substantial evidence and must be stricken.