TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Supreme Court has thrown out the death sentence for Rasheem Dubose, who was convicted of murder in the 2006 shooting death of 8-year-old DreShawna Davis.
The jury split on the death sentence by a vote of 8 in favor and 4 against. In Florida, a jury must unanimously vote for the death penalty in order for it to be inacted, even in retroactive situations.
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The high court denied the defense motion for a new trial and upheld the conviction. Dubose’s lawyer argued the judge should have granted a change of venue or a mistrial because of juror misconduct.
Davis was killed in a hail of bullets that Dubose and his two brothers fired into her house. They were aiming for her uncle, as payback for him robbing Dubose in the street and making his take off his pants. Terrell and Tajuan Dubose were also convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors used ballistic evidence to show that the fatal shot was fired by Rasheem Dubose. He will now get as new sentencing hearing.
The murder of DreShawna enraged the community. She was the fourth child to be killed by stray shots intended for someone else in a year and a half. It led to the Jacksonville Journey, which produced anti-crime recommendations for the city.