Opinion ID: 1697961
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Apprendi/Ring Issue

Text: Nixon also argues that his death sentence is unconstitutional because it is based on facts not included in the jury's verdict of guilty to the first-degree murder charge. He relies on the decisions by the United States Supreme Court in Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584, 122 S.Ct. 2428, 153 L.Ed.2d 556 (2002), and Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466, 120 S.Ct. 2348, 147 L.Ed.2d 435 (2000). This Court has held that Ring is not retroactive in Florida under the test espoused in Witt v. State, 387 So.2d 922 (Fla.1980). See Johnson v. State, 904 So.2d 400 (Fla.2005). [12] Thus, Ring is not applicable in this instance because Nixon's case became final more than a decade before Ring was decided.