Opinion ID: 1830375
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: hinder the enforcement of laws aggravator

Text: White's second claim is that the trial court erred in finding that the victim was killed in order to disrupt or hinder the enforcement of laws, i.e., to escape detection, prosecution, and punishment for the preceding battery committed upon the victim at the Outlaws' clubhouse. In reviewing a trial court's finding of an aggravating circumstance, this Court reviews the record to determine whether the trial court applied the correct rule of law and, if so, whether such finding is supported by competent, substantial evidence. See Willacy v. State, 696 So.2d 693, 695-96 (Fla.1997). In order to establish this aggravating circumstance, the State must demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that the dominant motive for the murder was the elimination of the witness. See Foster v. State, 778 So.2d 906, 918 (Fla.2000); Peterka v. State, 640 So.2d 59, 71 (Fla. 1994). The witness elimination aggravating factor may be inferred from circumstantial evidence without direct evidence of the defendant's motive. See Foster, 778 So.2d at 918; Hall v. State, 614 So.2d 473, 477 (1993); Preston v. State, 607 So.2d 404, 409 (1992). In its sentencing order, the trial court found: The facts of this case establish that Defendant and his co-defendants kidnaped and murdered Gracie Mae Crawford to avoid discovery and prosecution for the battery committed upon her at the Outlaws clubhouse, just prior to the murder. Evidence shows that co-defendant Smith stated that he wanted no witnesses, so they had to take care of business. Co-defendant DiMarino knew that this meant they would kill Gracie Mae Crawford to avoid prosecution for the severe beating she received from these three co-defendants. Defendant placed Crawford in the middle of the front seat of Defendant's girlfriend's car; DiMarino then got into the front passenger seat, blocking any possible escape by Crawford. The evidence shows that the victim did not go with Defendant willingly to the place where she was passed over a barbed wire fence and brutally murdered. State v. White, No. CR78-1840, order at 3 (Fla. 9th Cir. Ct. order filed Apr. 20, 2000). We have repeatedly affirmed the finding of the witness elimination aggravating circumstance in similar situations when the victim has been transported to another location and then killed. See Jones v. State, 748 So.2d 1012, 1027 (Fla.1999) (upholding elimination of witness aggravator when defendant robbed victim and subsequently transported her to secluded location, where he killed her); Preston, 607 So.2d at 409 (upholding elimination of witness aggravator where defendant robbed and kidnaped victim, transported her to secluded location, and killed her). We find that these cases support the trial court's determination that this aggravator could be found in this case, and we conclude that there is competent, substantial evidence in the record to support the aggravator that White killed the victim in order to eliminate her as a witness to his prior crime. See Jones, 748 So.2d at 1027; Preston, 607 So.2d at 409.