A motion was filed today by the William Thomas Zeigler defense team with the approval of the Orange County State Attorney’s office for DNA testing. It still needs a judge’s approval however, these joint motions are seldom denied. But, as we have been asking for DNA testing since 1994, I will not be able to […]
Zeigler
Zeigler: moral right denied
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala has rejected the appeal made on behalf of William Thomas Zeigler to have his pre-trial evidence from the 70s tested with modern DNA technology. Ayala denied this request “even though her conviction integrity unit urged her in April to grant it, saying it […]
Hope for William Thomas Zeigler
The Tampa bay Times announced Jan 3, 2019 that the Florida State Attorney’s office is “taking a fresh look” at the 1975 case of William Thomas Zeigler. Whether that fresh look is indeed an official review does not become clear in the article. However, we finally have a Florida state representative who “wants to introduce […]
The lingering case of Tommy Zeigler
Blood and truth: the lingering case of Tommy Zeigler and how Florida fights DNA testing. The Tampa Bay is publishing a new six-series about the case of William Thomas Zeigler. As my readers know, I have been involved in this case since the 90s. There are so many posts about this case on my blog that […]
Zeigler denied request to proceed in forma pauperis
William Thomas Zeigler had filed a motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis on Sept 5, 2017. In plain English, he asked the United States Supreme Court for permission to continue his trial proceedings as an indigent person meaning that fees normally associated with a lawsuit or appeal be waived. This request was denied Nov […]
Zeigler deserves a rehearing
WARNING: crime scene photography below. On May 8th, 2017 the defense for William Thomas Zeigler filed a motion for a rehearing with the Florida Supreme Court. Click here to read the motion. The appeal starts with an explanation why the court misunderstood critical facts and misapplied the Florida estoppel laws. Let’s skip that for a […]
Zeigler: touch DNA denied
The Florida Supreme Court has denied William Thomas Zeigler’s request for touch DNA testing. I have converted the PDF to images below. On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held for William Thomas Zeigler to request touch DNA testing in his case. Judge Whitehead denied that request for touch DNA on July 18, 2016. On November […]
The Zeigler November 2016 appeal
On March 31, 2016, an evidentiary hearing was held for William Thomas Zeigler to request touch DNA testing in his case. Judge Whitehead denied that request for touch DNA on July 18, 2016. On November 23, 2016, an appeal was filed in the Supreme Court of Florida. In this post I have joined the state’s arguments […]
Zeigler’s touch DNA request denied
On Monday July 18, 2016 Judge Whitehead denied William Thomas Zeigler’s latest DNA request. It asked for testing of evidence with modern technology with emphasis on touch DNA. From the Orlando Sentinel: “In the 30-page ruling, Orange-Osceola Circuit Judge Reginald Whitehead held that Zeigler’s petition for DNA testing was too similar to others that he’s […]
Ballistics point away from Zeigler
Ballistics point away from Zeigler according to the Medill Justice Project. They just released their report on the William Thomas Zeigler case. In December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were Charles Mays, Virginia and Perry Edwards (Zeigler’s parents-in-law), and Eunice Edwards-Zeigler (Zeigler’s wife). This […]
Controversial: the Zeigler case
Controversial: the Zeigler case has too many questions open despite the prosecution’s stand that there are none. The case of William Thomas Zeigler is covered in so many posts on my blog (60+) that he has has own category. Yesterday, attorney Dennis Tracey III explained in his opening statements that many of those open questions could […]
Evidentiary hearing for William Thomas Zeigler
Evidentiary hearing for William Thomas Zeigler for DNA testing pursuant to Section 925.11, Florida Statutes (2006) and Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.853 will be held on Thursday March 31, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., in courtroom 10-B, Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida. “On July 2, 2015, Zeigler filed a motion seeking DNA testing using […]
Good news for William Thomas Zeigler
Good news for William Thomas Zeigler because Judge Whitehead has granted a hearing to discuss the question of whether the Zeigler defense will be permitted to do the DNA testing that they have requested. To recap: in December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were […]
International Wrongful Conviction Day
International Wrongful Conviction Day on October 2 is an initiative from the Canadian Association in Defence of the Wrongly Convicted. They launched the initiative in 2014. The AIDWYC is “a non-profit organization dedicated to identifying, advocating for, and exonerating individuals convicted of a crime that they did not commit and to preventing such injustices in the future […]
R.I.P. Vernon Davids
R.I.P. Vernon Davids, trusted friend and attorney-at-law, passed away on May 11, 2015. He was 81 years old. Vernon was one of Tommy Zeigler’s original trial attorneys. Vernon Davids saved Tommy Zeigler’s life twice appealing before the Florida Supreme Court as Tommy was awaiting his execution. Together with Ralph “Terry” Hadley, they laid the foundation […]
Case of the Month: the Zeigler wrongful conviction
Case of the Month: the Zeigler wrongful conviction has been part of my life since 1993 when I started working for Amnesty International in Switzerland. I am appalled that the injustice endures. In December 1975, a quadruple murder took place in the Zeigler Furniture Store in Wintergarden, Florida. The victims were Charles Mays, Virginia and Perry […]
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari denied for Zeigler
Petition for a Writ of Certiorari denied for Zeigler on May 19, 2014. The only notation is that “Chief Justice [Roberts] took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.” Dennis H. Tracey, III and John Houston Pope filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. In […]
Petition for Cert filed for Zeigler
Petition for Cert filed for Zeigler with the United States Supreme Court by the New York defense team! The State of Florida has to respond this month. Dennis H. Tracey, III and John Houston Pope have filed a petition for a writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court. In plain English: the New York defense team […]
Is Clemency next for Zeigler?
Is Clemency next for Zeigler? That is a question I received after readers saw on my blog that the last appeal based on new evidence was denied by the Florida Supreme Court. Most people however asked: what is clemency and what will be considered during such a procedure? For an extensive overview of the clemency […]
Zeigler: Appeal Denied
Zeigler: Appeal Denied by the Florida Supreme Court last Nov 13, 2013. Here is the decision in pdf format: The newly discovered evidence hinged on the false arrest report by Det. Frye. It is discussed here. What are the consequences of the false arrest report and the lies told by Detective Frye under oath? We […]