Many in Florida have been following the capital case of William Wells. He’s been known in the media as "the Monster of Mayport" for years now. 

No Death Penalty: "A Vote for Humanity and Mercy" – Terry Lenamon

Terence Lenamon and co-counsel Tania Alavi of Ocala represented William Wells in his 2017 capital trial before the Honorable William Davis in Starke, Florida.  Lenamon Law associate Melissa Ortiz and mitigation specialist Kate O’Shea played pivotal roles in the defense team’s victory against death in this case. 

Result:  The jury did NOT vote for the death penalty.  In what Terry’s views as "… a vote for humanity and mercy," the jurors found that the balance between aggravators and mitigating factors did not warrant capital punishment.

Background from the Trial:

The State of Florida sought the death penalty for William Wells based upon the death of an inmate at the hands of William Wells and Wayne Doty.  Wells confessed to the killing.

Wells was incarcerated at the Florida State Prison at the time of this killing because of his prior conviction for five counts of 1st degree murder back in 2003. 

Wells pled guilty to killing his wife, his wife’s lover, her father, her brother, and a drug dealer over a time period covering 11 days.  All the bodies were kept in Wells’ trailer with him and his small son.  

With this background, how could Lenamon and his team convince the jury not to decide on death for this man? 

What swayed them?  Read the arguments for yourself.

Opening and Closing in the William Well’s Death Penalty Trial

First, there is the Opening Statement by Terry’s co-counsel Tania Z. Alavi in Terry’s Digital Library. 

Then, there were Terry’s Closing Arguments.  That part of the trial will be uploaded into the Digital Library once they’ve been transcribed and forwarded.

William Wells Penalty Phase Opening Statement by Lenamon co-counsel Tania Z. Alavi