Opinion ID: 1103334
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: florida's death penalty statute

Text: Fitzpatrick asserts that Florida's capital sentencing scheme violates the United States Constitution under the holdings of 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 addressed this argument and denied relief. See Jones v. State, 845 So.2d 55, 74 (Fla.2003). We conclude that Fitzpatrick is likewise not entitled to relief on this claim. Additionally, one of the aggravating circumstances the trial judge in this action considered was Fitzpatrick's previous aggravated battery conviction. This prior violent felony conviction alone satisfies constitutional mandates because the conviction was heard by a jury and determined beyond a reasonable doubt. See Doorbal v. State, 837 So.2d 940, 963 (Fla.), cert. denied, 539 U.S. 962, 123 S.Ct. 2647, 156 L.Ed.2d 663 (2003). Accordingly, Fitzpatrick is not entitled to relief on this claim.