Court Opinion

ID: 9899226
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-16 16:06:23.124715+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:19:56.788756
License: Public Domain

Supreme Court of Florida
                           ____________

                        No. SC2022-0378
                          ____________

                      MARKEITH D. LOYD,
                    Appellant/Cross-Appellee,

                                vs.

                      STATE OF FLORIDA,
                    Appellee/Cross-Appellant.

                        November 16, 2023

PER CURIAM.

     Markeith Demangzlo Loyd was charged with and convicted of

first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated

assault with a deadly weapon, carjacking with a firearm, and

possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He appeals these

convictions and his death sentence for the first-degree murder. 1 We

affirm all convictions and his death sentence.

     1. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(1), Fla. Const.
           FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

                            Guilt Phase
     Early on January 9, 2017, Loyd—on the run for the murders

of his girlfriend, Sade Dixon, and their unborn baby 2—entered a

Walmart where a witness familiar with Loyd and his previously

committed murders spotted Loyd in the checkout line wearing a

bulletproof vest. This witness immediately exited the store and

alerted a uniformed police officer that Loyd was inside. The officer

was Lieutenant Debra Clayton. Soon after, Lieutenant Clayton

confronted Loyd as he exited the store into the parking

lot. Lieutenant Clayton commanded that he “get on the

ground.” Loyd responded by rushing behind a pillar and then

hastily reemerged with his gun drawn. Loyd fired at Lieutenant

Clayton, and she returned fire. Lieutenant Clayton was shot and

fell to the ground. Loyd then moved towards Lieutenant Clayton

until he stood over her and delivered a fatal shot into her neck.

     Loyd then fled the Walmart parking lot in his vehicle. After

dispatch radioed the news of Lieutenant Clayton’s shooting,

     2. In 2019, before the trial in this case, Loyd was convicted of
these murders and sentenced to life.

                                -2-
Captain Joseph Carter pursued Loyd into the parking lot of an

apartment complex. As Captain Carter emerged from his vehicle,

Loyd shot at him twice, but hit only his hubcap. Captain Carter

then maneuvered his vehicle to block in Loyd’s vehicle, and Loyd

took off running. Loyd then approached a resident of the

apartment complex, Antwyne Thomas, and pointed his gun at

Thomas’s face. Loyd demanded that Thomas hand over his car

keys. Frightened, Thomas threw his keys into the air and ran into

his apartment.

     Loyd evaded arrest until law enforcement officers found him

inside a house on January 17, 2017. At the scene of the arrest, law

enforcement recovered a bulletproof vest, the gun used to murder

Sade Dixon, her unborn child, and Lieutenant Clayton, and the gun

used in the attempted murder of Captain Carter.

     At trial, the State proved its case largely through eyewitness

testimony. In his defense, Loyd offered alternative theories of self-

defense and insanity. Loyd testified about his upbringing and

history of mental health issues. He then presented his version of

the Walmart shooting and confrontation with Captain

Carter. Finally, a clinical and forensic psychologist testified that
                                -3-
Loyd met the legal definition of insanity at the time of the charged

offenses.

     On rebuttal, the State offered Loyd’s Facebook posts that

stressed Loyd’s critical and hateful views on race and the

police. The Facebook posts revealed that Loyd believes there is

tension between the police and members of his race, and that

physical violence against the police is justified. The State then

called two experts to rebut Loyd’s assertion that he was insane at

the time of the charged offenses.

     The jury found Loyd guilty as charged as to each of the five

counts of the indictment.

                            Penalty Phase

     During the penalty phase, the State relied on evidence from

the guilt phase and presented new evidence about Loyd’s history of

criminal convictions. The State also presented victim impact

evidence through four witnesses and a slide presentation with

photographs of Lieutenant Clayton.

     After the State rested, the defense called Loyd’s friends and

family members to discuss Loyd’s generosity and devotion to family.

Then the defense presented evidence of injuries Loyd sustained

                                -4-
during his arrest. Finally, the defense called four experts to opine

on Loyd’s mental condition. The State, on rebuttal, called a

neuroradiologist who questioned the observations of one of Loyd’s

experts.

     The jury heard closing arguments and, after deliberation,

returned with a unanimous recommendation for death. The jury

found beyond a reasonable doubt the existence of all the proposed

aggravating factors.

                 Spencer 3 Hearing & Sentencing
     After holding a Spencer hearing and considering all of the

testimony and evidence, the trial court sentenced Loyd to death, 4

finding three aggravators: (1) the defendant was previously

convicted of a felony and on felony probation when the first-degree

murder was committed (slight weight); (2) the defendant was

previously convicted of another capital felony or of a felony involving

     3. Spencer v. State, 615 So. 2d 688 (Fla. 1993).
      4. The court also sentenced Loyd to life in prison for
attempted first-degree murder; five years in prison for aggravated
assault with a deadly weapon; life in prison for carjacking with a
firearm; and fifteen years in prison for possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon.

                                 -5-
the use or threat of violence to the person (great weight); and (3) the

capital felony was committed for the purpose of avoiding or

preventing a lawful arrest/the capital felony was committed to

disrupt or hinder the lawful exercise of any governmental function

or enforcement of laws/the victim of the capital felony was a law

enforcement officer engaged in the performance of her official duties

(merged) (great weight). Regarding the statutory age mitigator, the

court found that the defendant did prove the defendant’s age at the

time of the crime (forty-one years old) but gave the mitigator no

weight. The court found five nonstatutory mitigators: the

defendant’s psychological and psychiatric mitigators (moderate

weight); the defendant’s childhood trauma (moderate weight); the

defendant’s trauma as an adult (some weight); the trauma of racism

(minimal weight); and circumstances related to defendant’s offer to

surrender and his arrest (minimal weight).

     This appeal followed.

                             ANALYSIS

     Loyd raises thirteen challenges to his convictions and death

sentence. No challenge warrants reversal. The State raises one

                                 -6-
challenge on cross-appeal, which is moot based on this decision.

We will address the claims in the order presented.

                         Loyd’s Challenges

     Issue I: Venire Members Removed for Cause. Before voir dire,

the court, in response to a motion in limine filed by the State,

excluded during the guilt phase and limited during the penalty

phase any evidence of law enforcement’s use of force during Loyd’s

arrest. Then, during voir dire, the trial judge granted three of the

State’s cause challenges to prospective jurors who were “in

possession of information that ha[d] been ruled inadmissible,”

referring to the evidence of the use of force. The court mentioned

that it was aware of a “long line of cases” establishing that it is

reversible error to deny cause challenges to prospective jurors who

know of facts that the court excluded.

     Loyd argues that this was error, relying on Ault v. State, 866

So. 2d 674 (Fla. 2003), and Gray v. Mississippi, 481 U.S. 648

(1987). According to Loyd, these cases hold that there is no basis to

strike a prospective juror for cause if the prospective juror affirms

that he or she could set aside any bias and render a verdict

impartially. Because two of the excluded venire members affirmed

                                 -7-
that they could do so here and Loyd was precluded from asking the

third whether he could do so, Loyd believes that the trial court

manifestly erred by striking them for cause. The State responds

that Ault and Gray are not on point and that the trial court properly

excluded the prospective jurors. We agree with the State; the trial

court did not err by excluding these potential jurors.

     We defer to a trial judge’s decision to exclude a prospective

juror. Johnson v. State, 969 So. 2d 938, 946 (Fla. 2007). Indeed,

we will overturn a trial court’s ruling on a cause challenge only for

manifest error, which is tantamount to an abuse of discretion. Id.

An abuse of discretion occurs when the judge adopts a view that no

other reasonable person would take. Singleton v. State, 783 So. 2d

970, 973 (Fla. 2001).

     A reasonable judge should excuse a prospective juror for cause

“if any reasonable doubt exists as to whether the [prospective] juror

possesses an impartial state of mind.” Ault, 866 So. 2d at 683.

“[E]xposure to inadmissible and prejudicial information through

pretrial publicity is a classic example of a valid ground for a cause

challenge.” Hamdeh v. State, 762 So. 2d 1030, 1032 (Fla. 3d DCA

2000). The trial court’s decision to exclude the three prospective
                                -8-
jurors here fits within this standard. Thus, we conclude that the

trial court did not abuse its discretion.

     Loyd’s reliance on Ault and Gray is misplaced. These cases

address the rules for excluding a juror who has a preformed belief

about the death penalty. In Gray, the trial court removed a

potential juror for cause despite her statement that she could

ultimately impose the death sentence. 481 U.S. at 654. The

Supreme Court held that the trial judge erred, and this error is not

subject to a harmless error analysis. Id. at 659, 668. Ault

addressed the same issue and relied on Gray to conclude that “it is

reversible error to exclude for cause a juror who can follow the

instructions and oath in regard to the death penalty.” Ault, 866 So.

2d at 686. The situation in Gray and Ault is not present here—the

trial court did not excuse the jurors for their views on the death

penalty. Instead, the trial court excused the jurors for their

knowledge of inadmissible information.

     For these reasons, we deny this claim.

     Issue II: Jury Instruction on Insanity. Standard Criminal Jury

Instruction 3.6(a) states: “[c]lear and convincing evidence is

evidence that is precise, explicit, lacking in confusion, and of such
                                 -9-
weight that it produces a firm belief, without hesitation, about the

matter in issue.” This instruction, Loyd argues, confuses the clear

and convincing standard with the beyond a reasonable doubt

standard. Loyd believes that because the trial court did not modify

the standard instruction to alleviate this confusion, we should

remand for a new trial. We disagree.

     We addressed the same argument in Standard Jury

Instructions-Criminal Cases (99-2), 777 So. 2d 366, 368 (Fla. 2000),

in which we approved Standard Jury Instruction 2.03, which is

used in Jimmy Ryce civil commitment proceedings and provides the

same definition of clear and convincing evidence as Standard

Criminal Jury Instruction 3.6(a). In that case, we expressly

considered concerns that the proposed definition of clear and

convincing evidence overstated “the applicable burden of proof to a

level equal to, or even higher than, the ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’

standard.” Id. at 368. In rejecting that argument, we concluded

that the “proposed definition of ‘clear and convincing evidence’ is

consistent with established caselaw definitions of that term.” Id.

(citing In re Davey, 645 So. 2d 398, 404 (Fla. 1994); Slomowitz v.

Walker, 429 So. 2d 797, 800 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983)).
                               - 10 -
     Loyd’s challenge offers no compelling reason why Criminal

Cases (99-2) is incorrect. Thus, we deny this claim.

     Issue III: The State’s Remarks About Premeditation During Its

Guilt Phase Closing. Because Loyd did not contemporaneously

object to the challenged remarks, we review this argument for

fundamental error. Kaczmar v. State, 228 So. 3d 1, 11 (Fla. 2017).

Fundamental error reaches “down into the validity of the trial itself

to the extent that a verdict of guilty could not have been obtained

without the assistance of the alleged error.” State v. Delva, 575 So.

2d 643, 644-45 (Fla. 1991).

     Loyd argues that the State misstated the law defining

premeditation when it discussed with the jury the instructions

regarding the attempted first-degree murder of Captain

Carter. Specifically, Loyd complains that the State told the jury

that “premeditated design” means a conscious intent to kill that

“has to be present in the person’s mind during the act” and that

deciding to smack a mosquito on one’s arm rather than brushing it

off “is an intent to kill that was formed in your mind at the time and

during the actual act.” Loyd asserts that these unobjected-to

statements rise to the level of fundamental error because while the
                                - 11 -
second sentence of Standard Jury Instruction 7.2 states that the

decision to kill “must be present in the mind at the time of the

killing,” the first sentence of that instruction states that killing with

premeditation means “killing after consciously deciding to do so.”

     At the time the State made the alleged erroneous statements,

it was not discussing Standard Jury Instruction 7.2, titled, Murder

– First Degree, but Standard Jury Instruction 6.2, titled, Attempted

Murder – First Degree (Premeditated). The instructions read and

provided to the jury regarding the attempted first-degree murder of

Captain Carter were displayed on a screen visible to the jury at the

time the State made the alleged erroneous statements. Those

instructions were directly quoted from Standard Jury Instruction

6.2 and stated:

          A premeditated design to kill means that there was
     a conscious decision to kill. The decision must be
     present in the mind at the time the act was
     committed. The law does not fix the exact period of time
     that must pass between the formation of the
     premeditated intent to kill and the act. The period of
     time must be long enough to allow reflection by the
     defendant. The premeditated intent to kill must be
     formed before the act was committed.

     Thus, while Loyd is correct that the premeditated intent to kill

must be formed before the act was committed, the State was also
                                 - 12 -
correct in telling the jury that a conscious intent to kill has to be

present in the person’s mind during the act in order to convict for

attempted first-degree murder. The State’s argument did not

misstate the law and was not misleading when taken in

context. The instruction stating that the premeditated intent to kill

must be formed before the act was committed was displayed on

screen at the time the State was discussing the instruction with the

jury, and the trial court read that very instruction to the jury four

times before the State’s argument. And after the arguments, the

court again instructed the jury to follow only the law spelled out in

the jury instructions and that no other laws apply to this case. The

court also distributed physical copies of the complete instructions

to the jury.

     Even if we were to conclude that the State’s argument was

misleading for failing to also tell the jury that the premeditated

intent to kill must be formed before the act was committed, we

certainly would not find that the alleged error rises to the level of

fundamental error such that a verdict of guilty could not have been

obtained without the assistance of the alleged error in light of the

facts that the “before the act was committed” portion of the
                                - 13 -
instructions was simultaneously displayed to the jury during the

alleged misleading statements and read to the jury four times by

the trial court. Thus, Loyd is not entitled to relief on this claim.

     Issue IV: Alleged Improper Argument During the State’s Penalty

Phase Closing. Loyd objects to three distinct comments that the

State made during its penalty phase closing argument. We review

“trial court rulings regarding the propriety of comments made

during closing argument for an abuse of discretion.” Cardona v.

State, 185 So. 3d 514, 520 (Fla. 2016). If the comments were

improper, and the court overruled the objections to them, we apply

the harmless error standard of review. Id. We address each

comment in turn.

                     A. The “obligation” remark

     Loyd asserts that the State improperly remarked in its penalty

phase closing that the jurors “ha[d] an obligation to . . . try [their]

best to reach a unanimous verdict.” But Loyd misstates the record.

What the State actually said is: “I would suggest to you that as the

instructions point out, you have an obligation to give meaningful

consideration to everything. And not only that, but that you try

your best to reach a unanimous verdict.” Loyd argues that the trial
                                 - 14 -
court erred in overruling his objection to this remark based on

“misstatement of the law.” Contrary to what Loyd first asserts, the

State did not command the jurors that they had to reach a

unanimous verdict. Although Loyd acknowledged his misstatement

of the record in his reply brief, he still argues that it is “just as

objectionable” that the State instructed the jurors to try their best

to reach a unanimous verdict because it minimized their

individualized roles. We disagree.

     There was nothing improper about the State’s remark. It did

not misstate the law. Indeed, the trial court, in accordance with

Standard Criminal Jury Instruction 3.10, instructed the jury,

“Whatever verdict you render must be unanimous, that is, each

juror must agree to the same verdict.” Nor did the State minimize

the jurors’ individualized roles, especially when the remark is

considered in the context of the State’s entire closing argument, in

which the State also made the following remarks:

     And while it is true, as you have been told several times,
     that your decision as to whether or not a sentence of
     death is appropriate is an individualized decision, that is
     nothing new to you. That is something you have already
     done, because what the instructions and the law tell you
     is that each of you reach an individualized decision, and

                                 - 15 -
     only if you’re unanimous that death is the appropriate
     punishment can it be imposed.
           ...
           So you’re going to be – it’s going to be emphasized to
     you and I will emphasize to you that you’re making an
     individualized decision.
           ...
           This is an important decision and all I am
     suggesting is that you-all collaborate together
     understanding you will make an individualized decision
     to reach a decision that is commiserate [sic] with the task
     in front of you.

In those comments, the State emphasized rather than minimized

the jurors’ individualized roles. The trial court did not abuse its

discretion in allowing the statement.

          B. The remark about mitigating circumstances

     Loyd next argues that the State told the jury that it had no

need to consider the proffered mitigating circumstance of whether

Loyd’s capacity to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to

conform his conduct to the requirements of law was substantially

impaired. But again, Loyd misstates the record. The State argued

that when considering this mitigating circumstance, the jurors

should consider, among other evidence, that they already

determined that Loyd knew the difference between right and wrong

when they rejected the insanity defense. “The finding of sanity . . .

                                - 16 -
does not eliminate consideration of the statutory mitigating factors

concerning mental condition.” Mines v. State, 390 So. 2d 332, 337

(Fla. 1980). But “no rule of law states that the [factfinder] must

ignore the findings [of sanity] in weighing the mitigating factors.”

Globe v. State, 877 So. 2d 663, 676 (Fla. 2004). Thus, the State’s

remark was proper, and the trial court did not abuse its discretion.

                   C. The “piece of paper” remark

     Loyd claims that the trial court erred in denying his motion for

mistrial over the following remarks from the prosecutor:

           STATE: On the screen in front of you are the
     judgment and sentence for the Dixon murder. And they
     tell you what you already know, which is that Mr. Loyd
     got life sentences not just for the murders of Sade Dixon
     and her unborn child.
           DEFENSE COUNSEL: Objection, Judge.
           THE COURT: Overruled.
           DEFENSE COUNSEL: Argument.
           [STATE]: He was given life for the attempted murder
     of Ronald Stewart, the attempted murder of Stephanie
     Dixon Daniels, and the attempted murder of Dominique
     Daniels. Is another sentence of life appropriate in this
     case?
           DEFENSE COUNSEL: Objection. Improper
     argument.
           THE COURT: Overruled.
           STATE: The reality is, it would be another piece of
     paper in Mr. Loyd’s file.
           DEFENSE COUNSEL: Objection. Improper
     argument.
           THE COURT: Sustained. Rephrase.
                                - 17 -
Following the sustained objection, Loyd preserved the issue for

appeal when he moved for a mistrial, arguing that the State

instructed the jury to rely on nonstatutory aggravation. The trial

court denied the motion.

     We review “a trial court’s ruling on a motion for mistrial under

an abuse of discretion standard.” Salazar v. State, 991 So. 2d 364,

371 (Fla. 2008). A trial court should grant a mistrial only when the

error is so prejudicial that it vitiates the whole trial. Id. at 372.

This occurs when a prosecutor’s comments “deprive the defendant

of a fair and impartial trial, materially contribute to the [verdict],

[are] so harmful or fundamentally tainted as to require a new trial,

or [are] so inflammatory that they might have influenced the jury to

reach a more severe verdict than that it would have otherwise.”

Spencer v. State, 645 So. 2d 377, 383 (Fla. 1994). Under this

exacting standard, we find that the trial court did not abuse its

discretion in denying the motion for mistrial.

     First, this was one comment in an otherwise long closing

argument. The judge properly instructed the jury on the correct

law and to follow only the law in the jury instructions. Additionally,

the previous judgments and sentences that the State referenced
                                 - 18 -
were in evidence for the jury to consider. Indeed, Loyd addressed

the evidence and directly rebutted the State’s closing remark:

     For you to say, Oh, oh, well, you know, just it’s a piece of
     paper, if we don’t give him anything but death, like [the
     State] suggested, is a serious problem with justice. . . .
     [Y]ou cannot decide that because he got [life] once before
     I’m going to give it to him again.

Overall, the court thoroughly considered the motion and did not

believe that this remark rose to the level required to grant a

mistrial. The trial court heard the remark and was best able to

gauge its consequences. See Murphy v. Int’l Robotic Sys., Inc., 766

So. 2d 1010, 1023 (Fla. 2000).

     In the end, none of the three remarks that Loyd challenges

warrant reversal. We deny relief on this claim.

     Issue V: The Burden to Prove Mitigating Circumstances.

Standard Criminal Jury Instruction 7.11 states, “It is the

defendant’s burden to prove that one or more mitigating

circumstances exist. . . . [T]he defendant need only establish a

mitigating circumstance by the greater weight of the evidence.”

Loyd asked the trial court to omit this language because “[t]here is

nothing in [Florida’s death penalty] statute that imposes a

                                - 19 -
burden . . . on [the defendant] to prove mitigating circumstances by

any burden of proof.” Now, to this Court, Loyd argues that the trial

court erred in overruling the objection to the jury instruction on

grounds well beyond those made to the trial court. Any argument

besides the specific one made to the trial court was not preserved

for our review. Reynolds v. State, 934 So. 2d 1128, 1150-51 (Fla.

2006) (“To challenge jury instructions, a party must object to the

form of those instructions and specifically state the grounds upon

which the objection is based.” (citing Fla. R. Crim. P. 3.390(d))).

Thus, we address only whether the trial court erred in reading the

standard jury instruction because in Loyd’s view it does not

comport with section 921.141(2)(b), Florida Statutes (2021).

     To recommend a death sentence, the jury must first weigh

“[w]hether aggravating factors exist which outweigh the mitigating

circumstances found to exist.” § 921.141(2)(b)2.b. Our case law

has expounded on how a mitigating circumstance is “found to

exist.” We have stated that “a mitigating circumstance exists where

it is established by the greater weight of the evidence.” Bright v.

State, 299 So. 3d 985, 1000 (Fla. 2020). This is not a novel

principle, though; our case law has long recognized that a
                                - 20 -
mitigating circumstance is established by the greater weight of the

evidence. E.g., Diaz v. State, 132 So. 3d 93, 117 (Fla. 2013) (noting

that it is established law that mitigating factors be proven by a

greater weight of the evidence); Coday v. State, 946 So. 2d 988,

1000-01 (Fla. 2006) (discussing the evolution of this “basic

principle”). In 2009, explicitly based on the case law, we

incorporated this burden of proof for mitigating circumstances into

the standard jury instructions. In re Standard Jury Instructions in

Crim. Cases-Rpt. No. 2005-2, 22 So. 3d 17, 21 (Fla. 2009). The jury

instruction language has slightly changed since 2009, but its

foundation—that mitigating circumstances exist when established

by the greater weight of the evidence—firmly remains. Thus, Loyd’s

argument is meritless, and we deny this claim.

     Issue VI: Victim Impact Evidence. During the penalty phase,

the State presented victim impact evidence. One piece of evidence

that the State displayed was a slide presentation consisting of

nineteen photographs of Lieutenant Clayton and one video clip of

her speaking to the community. The presentation was set to

instrumental music. The trial court overruled a defense objection

                               - 21 -
to the music. We find that the trial court abused its discretion in

allowing the music to play but that the error was harmless.

     Victim impact evidence is allowed once the prosecution has

offered evidence “of the existence of one or more aggravating factors

as described in subsection (6).” § 921.141(8), Fla. Stat. Victim

impact evidence must show “the victim’s uniqueness as an

individual human being and the resultant loss to the community’s

members by the victim’s death.” Id. In other words, victim impact

evidence must have some connection to the victim. Yet, as the

State admitted at oral argument, the music here had no association

with Lieutenant Clayton’s uniqueness as a human—it was simply

background music. Thus, allowing the irrelevant instrumental

music to play was error.

     This error does not automatically justify reversal. Improperly

admitted evidence is subject to the harmless error analysis. Davis

v. State, 347 So. 3d 315, 324 (Fla. 2022). Loyd “acknowledges that

the montage was not maudlin[ ] and was not exploited by the State

in argument.”

     Plus, the court read the jury instruction on victim impact

evidence three times throughout the penalty phase, which advised
                               - 22 -
the jury that it could not consider victim impact evidence as an

aggravating factor. As a result, we conclude that allowing the

music was harmless and deny relief on this claim.

      Also, the jurors were provided physical copies of the

instructions. Finally, both the defense in its opening and the State

in its charge to the jury repeated what the jurors already knew from

the instructions. As a result, we conclude that allowing the music

was harmless error, and we deny relief on this claim.

     Issue VII: Loyd’s Competency to Be Sentenced. Prior to

sentencing the trial court conducted a competency hearing. The

trial court determined that Loyd was competent to proceed. Now,

Loyd argues that the trial court abused its discretion in reaching its

conclusion. At the outset, we note that much of Loyd’s argument

asks this Court to reweigh the evidence, which we will not do. See

Mason v. State, 597 So. 2d 776, 779 (Fla. 1992) (“It is the duty of

the trial court to determine what weight should be given to

conflicting testimony.”). For the reasons below, we find that the

trial court did not abuse its discretion.

     “A trial court’s decision regarding a determination of

competency is subject to review for abuse of discretion, and the trial
                                - 23 -
court’s resolution of factual disputes will be upheld if supported by

competent, substantial evidence.” Larkin v. State, 147 So. 3d 452,

464 (Fla. 2014). “The test for whether a defendant is competent to

stand trial is ‘whether he has sufficient present ability to consult

with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational

understanding—and whether he has a rational as well as factual

understanding of the proceedings against him.’ ” Peede v. State,

955 So. 2d 480, 488 (Fla. 2007) (quoting Dusky v. United States,

362 U.S. 402, 402 (1960)).

     The trial court thoroughly explained the evidence it relied on

to make its determination of competency. The trial court found that

Dr. Danziger and Dr. Oses “both opined that the Defendant has a

factual understanding of the proceedings against him, the charges

against him, [and] the range and nature of the penalties, including

the fact he might be sentenced to death.” Dr. Danziger testified that

“there is no issue with [Loyd’s] intellectual ability and no issue with

his factual understanding.” Dr. Oses testified that Loyd’s

appreciation of the charges and allegations “was acceptable. [Loyd]

understood that he was now looking at, you know, the sentencing

                                - 24 -
phase and that was in conjunction with him understanding that his

attorneys were present and the seriousness of the case.”

     Next, when analyzing whether Loyd had a rational

understanding of the proceedings, the trial court acknowledged that

the experts presented conflicting testimony. So, the court turned to

its own observations. The trial court noted that it had extensive

interactions with Loyd over the course of his proceedings. But the

court then turned its attention to the current trial because the

competency test requires sufficient present ability. The court

observed that Loyd “actively participated in his defense throughout

the trial. He would object to lawyers ending their examination of a

witness and confer with them as to further questions. . . . He

constantly communicated with his attorneys at counsel table.” Not

once during the trial did the lawyers question his competence. The

court also observed that Loyd spent hours on the stand testifying

and answering questions about the case with ease. The court paid

particular attention to the many times during his testimony when

Loyd would pause to ask the court whether he could speak about

certain issues that he thought were inadmissible based on previous

rulings.
                               - 25 -
     The rest of the trial court’s order addressed certain

observations “so that the record is clear.” For example, the trial

court found that it was always able to redirect Loyd to the relevant

discussion if he ever strayed from such. And the trial court’s

observations of Loyd’s behavior over three years, which never

significantly changed, supported Dr. Oses’s observations. Overall,

the trial court’s order made it clear that competent, substantial

evidence supports its conclusion. Thus, we deny relief on this

claim.

     Issue VIII: Equal Protection Challenge to Statute Excluding

Felons from the Jury. Before trial, Loyd challenged the entire jury

panel on the basis that the statute that excludes felons from serving

on a jury, section 40.013, Florida Statutes (2021), violates the

Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. The trial

court denied this challenge. Loyd now argues that the trial court

erred in denying this claim and that we should remand the matter

for “further hearing.” Loyd offers no authority to support

remanding a case for “further hearing” on a pretrial motion without

disturbing the convictions and sentences. Even if we could provide

such relief, Loyd’s argument fails on the merits.
                               - 26 -
     To assess whether a facially neutral statute that allegedly has

a disparate impact violates the Equal Protection Clause of the

Fourteenth Amendment, courts apply “the rational relationship test

unless some evidence of purposeful intent to discriminate has been

shown.” United States v. Greene, 995 F.2d 793, 796 (8th Cir. 1993).

To show purposeful intent, Loyd cites two law review articles for the

proposition that “Florida’s juror disqualification law was enacted as

part of an effort to keep Blacks oppressed in the wake of

emancipation.” In other words, Loyd argues that discriminatory

intent underlies the statute because two authors said so. This is

not evidence—this is instead a restatement of the conclusion that

Loyd is attempting to prove. Repetition cannot substitute for

evidence. Thus, Loyd has not met his burden, and the rational

basis test applies.

     As many courts across the country have found, laws of this

sort pass a rational basis test. See United States v. Barry, 71 F.3d

1269, 1273 (7th Cir. 1995); Greene, 995 F.2d at 795-96 (citing a

line of cases holding “that the exclusion from juror eligibility of

persons charged with a felony is rationally related to the legitimate

                                - 27 -
governmental purpose of guaranteeing the probity of jurors”). We

agree and deny this claim.

     Issue IX: An Express Jury Instruction on Mercy. Loyd

requested a special jury instruction and proposed two alternative

instructions, each of which expressly told the jury that it could

consider mercy in making its sentencing determination. The trial

court denied the request and instead used Standard Criminal Jury

Instruction 7.11, which stated, in relevant part: “Regardless of the

results of each juror’s individual weighing process . . . the law

neither compels nor requires you to determine that the defendant

should be sentenced to death.” Loyd asserts that the trial court’s

denial of a special instruction amounts to structural error, yet Loyd

acknowledges that there is contrary precedent from this Court on

this issue, namely Woodbury v. State, 320 So. 3d 631 (Fla. 2021),

cert. denied, 142 S. Ct. 1135 (2022). See also Bush v. State, 295 So.

3d 179, 210 (Fla. 2020) (“Bush’s argument that he was entitled to a

jury instruction on mercy is also without merit.”); Downs v. Moore,

801 So. 2d 906, 913 (Fla. 2001); Booker v. State, 773 So. 2d 1079,

1091 (Fla. 2000); Elledge v. State, 706 So. 2d 1340, 1346 (Fla.

                                - 28 -
1997). And Loyd provides no compelling reason why we should

overturn our precedent.

       In Woodbury, the defendant requested similar special jury

instructions on mercy. 320 So. 3d at 655-56. The trial court

denied the request and read Standard Instruction 7.11 instead. Id.

This Court affirmed the trial court’s ruling “because the instruction

that was read to the jury adequately informed the jurors of the

applicable legal standard.” Id. at 656. This Court has even referred

to the relevant provision of Standard Instruction 7.11 as the “mercy

instruction.” Id. (quoting Reynolds v. State, 251 So. 3d 811, 816

n.5 (Fla. 2018)). “Thus, the court did read an instruction on mercy,

and although Woodbury might have preferred the wording of his

proposed instruction, Standard Jury Instruction 7.11 is not

ambiguous when it comes to addressing the jurors’ options.” Id.

       “[T]he failure to give special jury instructions does not

constitute error where the instructions given adequately address

the applicable legal standards.” Stephens v. State, 787 So. 2d 747,

755 (Fla. 2001). Loyd did not show that “the standard

instruction[s] did not adequately cover the theory [of mercy].” Id. at

756.
                                 - 29 -
     For these reasons, we deny relief on this claim.

     Issue X: Death Qualification of Jury. Loyd argues that death

qualifying the jury skews it towards guilt and violates the Sixth

Amendment to the United States Constitution. Loyd concedes that

this Court has rejected this claim before, yet raises it to preserve it

for federal review. We have indeed repeatedly rejected this claim.

See Wade v. State, 41 So. 3d 857, 873 (Fla. 2010); Chamberlain v.

State, 881 So. 2d 1087, 1096 (Fla. 2004); San Martin v. State, 717

So. 2d 462, 467 (Fla. 1998); San Martin v. State, 705 So. 2d 1337,

1343 (Fla. 1997). So too has the United States Supreme Court.

See Lockhart v. McCree, 476 U.S. 162, 173 (1986) (“[T]he

Constitution does not prohibit the States from ‘death qualifying’

juries in capital cases.”). We again deny this claim.

     Issue XI: The Death Penalty’s Constitutionality. Loyd asks this

Court to find that the death penalty violates the Eighth Amendment

to the United States Constitution. Loyd argues that four factors

contribute to this violation: (1) the death penalty no longer matches

society’s standards of decency; (2) thirty people sentenced to death

have been exonerated in Florida; (3) jurors from certain

geographical areas are more inclined to recommend a death
                                - 30 -
sentence; and (4) there are long delays between the imposition of

the sentence and the execution of the sentence. The last three

factors come from Justice Breyer’s dissent in Glossip v. Gross, 576

U.S. 863 (2015). We find none of them convincing.

     To begin, we have recently rejected argument (4). In Dillbeck v.

State, 357 So. 3d 94, 103 (Fla.), cert. denied, 143 S. Ct. 856 (2023),

we emphasized our longstanding precedent that these claims “are

‘facially invalid,’ including when the defendant’s stay on death row

exceeded 30 years.” Loyd has not persuaded us here to change our

position on this argument.

     We also can quickly dispose of argument (2). The State

correctly notes that exonerations undermine not the sentence but

the conviction. Responding directly to Justice Breyer’s dissent in

Glossip, Justice Scalia characterized this argument as internally

contradictory and “gobbledy-gook.” Glossip, 576 U.S. at 895

(Scalia, J., concurring). We too find it hard to understand how

alleged issues in the guilt phase render a certain punishment

unconstitutional. The same logic would make life imprisonment

unconstitutional if enough people serving life are exonerated. This

argument has no merit.
                                - 31 -
     Turning to argument (3), we are persuaded by Justice

Thomas’s Glossip concurrence, which adequately explains why this

argument is meritless. Justice Thomas stated that relying on the

studies that conclude that locality plays too heavily a role in death

sentencing “to determine the constitutionality of the death penalty

fails to respect the values implicit in the Constitution’s allocation of

decisionmaking in this context.” Id. at 901 (Thomas, J. concurring).

Indeed, the two provisions in the Constitution memorializing that

crimes are tried by a local jury “ensure that capital defendants are

given the option to be sentenced by a jury of their peers who,

collectively, are better situated to make the moral judgment

between life and death than are the products of [these studies].” Id.

at 902-03. Additionally, “the results of these studies are inherently

unreliable because they purport to control for egregiousness by

quantifying moral depravity in a process that is itself arbitrary” and

dehumanizing. Id. at 903. For these reasons, Loyd’s argument (3)

is unconvincing.

     Finally, Loyd’s argument (1), that the death sentence is now

inconsistent with our society’s standard of decency, is similarly

unavailing. Again, Loyd relies on Justice Breyer’s dissent in
                                 - 32 -
Glossip. The Court’s opinion in Glossip, however, upheld the

constitutionality of the death penalty. 576 U.S. at 867 (majority

opinion); see also id. at 869 (recognizing that it is settled law that

capital punishment is constitutional). Loyd argues that because

other states have outlawed capital punishment, it is now

unconstitutional. We addressed a similar argument in Long v.

State, 271 So. 3d 938 (Fla. 2019). Responding to an argument that

Florida’s three-drug method of execution was unconstitutional

because other states have adopted a one-drug protocol, this Court

concluded that “Florida’s current protocol does not violate the

constitution simply because other states have altered their methods

of lethal injection.” Id. at 945 (quoting Muhammad v. State, 132 So.

3d 176, 196-97 (Fla. 2013)). In a similar vein, the death sentence is

not unconstitutional just because other states have chosen to

abolish it. At bottom, the Constitution itself contemplates, in the

Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, that the government may take a

life if the government affords the person due process of law. Loyd

falls well short of the hurdle it takes to prove that something the

Constitution permits is at the same time unconstitutional.

                                - 33 -
     Because none of Loyd’s arguments are convincing, we deny

this claim.

     Issue XII: Extending Atkins v. Virginia, 536 U.S. 304 (2002).

Loyd asks this Court to extend Atkins—which precludes the

execution of the intellectually disabled—to prohibit the execution of

the severely mentally ill. To start, there is no evidence that Loyd is

severely mentally ill. There is evidence to the contrary, however.

Regardless, we refused this same request recently in Wells v. State,

364 So. 3d 1005, 1016 (Fla. 2023). Wells joined a long line of

Florida cases and other jurisdictions refusing to extend Atkins. See

id. (citing cases). We adhere to our precedent and deny this claim.

     Issue XIII: The Constitutionality of Florida’s Death Penalty

Scheme. Loyd argues that Florida’s death penalty scheme is

arbitrary and thus violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the

United States Constitution under Gregg v. Georgia, 428 U.S. 153,

189 (1976), and Pulley v. Harris, 465 U.S. 37 (1984). According to

Loyd, the scheme is arbitrary for two reasons: (1) Florida eliminated

both the safeguards of comparative proportionality review and the

special standard of review that was previously applied in wholly

                                - 34 -
circumstantial evidence cases 5 and (2) Florida’s scheme fails to

narrow the class of first-degree murderers eligible for the death

penalty.

     Recently, in Wells, 364 So. 3d at 1015, this Court addressed

whether the lack of proportionality review and the “sheer number of

aggravating factors in the statute” amounted to an Eighth

Amendment violation. We first recognized that we have “repeatedly

rejected the argument that the death-penalty statute violates the

Eighth Amendment because it fails to sufficiently narrow the class

of murderers eligible for the death penalty.” Id. Eliminating

proportionality review did not change that analysis. Id.

Proportionality review is not integral to the Eighth Amendment. Id.

      5. In his initial brief, Loyd refers to this as “the ‘reasonable
hypothesis of innocence’ motion for judgment of acquittal,” but his
citation to Bush, 295 So. 3d 179, makes clear that he is indeed
referencing the elimination of the special standard of review that
was previously applied in wholly circumstantial evidence cases, i.e.,
“Where the only proof of guilt is circumstantial, no matter how
strongly the evidence may suggest guilt, a conviction cannot be
sustained unless the evidence is inconsistent with any reasonable
hypothesis of innocence,” id. at 200 (quoting Knight v. State, 107
So. 3d 449, 457 (Fla. 5th DCA 2013)).

                                - 35 -
     Loyd adds another alleged infirmity to the argument: the

elimination of the special standard of review previously used in

cases involving wholly circumstantial evidence. We note that Loyd

does not at all explain how eliminating this leads to an arbitrary

scheme. Loyd’s argument is simply that because the special

standard of review was a safeguard, eliminating it contributes to a

constitutional violation. His failure to elaborate leaves us little to

respond to. That said, this Court eliminated this special jury

instruction reflecting this special standard in 1981, Bush, 295 So.

3d at 200, and stopped using it as an appellate standard of review

in 2020, id. at 199. We concluded that it is confusing and incorrect

as both a jury instruction and appellate standard of review. Id. at

200. Loyd does not show how the elimination of a confusing and

incorrect jury instruction or standard of review creates a

constitutional problem. Thus, we deny relief on this claim.

                     The State’s Cross-Appeal

     The State’s Proposed Modification to Standard Criminal Jury

Instructions 7.10 and 7.11 and Verdict Form 3.12(e). The State

argues that State v. Poole, 297 So. 3d 487 (Fla. 2020), eliminated

any requirement of “weighing” or “sufficiency” that Hurst v. State,
                                - 36 -
202 So. 3d 40 (Fla. 2016), originally declared and that was reflected

in Standard Criminal Jury Instructions 7.10 and 7.11 and Verdict

Form 3.12(e) at the time of Loyd’s trial. Because we affirm Loyd’s

convictions and death sentence, we decline to address the merits of

this cross-appeal. See Davis v. State, 207 So. 3d 142, 158 (Fla.

2016) (“[G]iven our resolution of this direct appeal, we decline to

reach the State’s cross-appeal.”).

                   Sufficiency of the Evidence

     On direct appeal of a death sentence, this Court independently

reviews the record to determine whether the jury’s verdict on the

homicide charge is supported by competent, substantial evidence.

Fla. R. App. P. 9.142(a)(5); Gordon v. State, 350 So. 3d 25, 38 (Fla.

2022), cert. denied, 143 S. Ct. 1092 (2023).

     Three eyewitnesses testified at trial about the Walmart

shooting. One witness saw Loyd shoot Lieutenant Clayton as he

stood over her body on the ground. And another eyewitness

testified that Loyd fired the first shot, that more shots were

exchanged, and that eventually Lieutenant Clayton fell to the

ground while Loyd continued to shoot her. The jury also saw many

of Loyd’s Facebook posts expressing his shrill animus towards law
                                - 37 -
enforcement, which the State used to support its premeditation

argument.

     Additionally, a sheriff’s deputy testified that before Loyd’s

arrest, Loyd was inside a house and twice opened the door, tossing

a firearm out each time. An FDLE firearm analyst testified that one

of the guns thrown from the house was the handgun used by Loyd

to kill Sade Dixon, her unborn child, and Lieutenant Clayton. The

other gun was used in his attempt to kill Captain Carter.

     We conclude that this is sufficient evidence to support the

first-degree murder conviction.

                           CONCLUSION

     We affirm Loyd’s convictions and sentence of death.

     It is so ordered.

MUÑIZ, C.J., and CANADY, COURIEL, and FRANCIS, JJ., concur.
LABARGA, J., concurs in result with an opinion.
GROSSHANS, J., recused.
SASSO, J., did not participate.

NOT FINAL UNTIL TIME EXPIRES TO FILE REHEARING MOTION
AND, IF FILED, DETERMINED.

LABARGA, J., concurring in result.

     I continue to adhere to my dissent in Lawrence v. State, 308

So. 3d 544 (Fla. 2020), wherein this Court abandoned this Court’s
                                - 38 -
decades-long practice of comparative proportionality review in the

direct appeals of sentences of death. For this reason, I can only

concur in the result.

An Appeal from the Circuit Court in and for Orange County,
    Leticia J. Marques, Judge
    Case No. 482017CF000826000AOX

Matthew J. Metz, Public Defender, Nancy Ryan, Assistant Public
Defender, and Robert Jackson Pearce, III, Assistant Public
Defender, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Daytona Beach, Florida,

     for Appellant/Cross-Appellee

Ashley Moody, Attorney General, Tallahassee, Florida, and Doris
Meacham, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Daytona Beach,
Florida,

     for Appellee/Cross-Appellant

                               - 39 -