Florida Supreme Court Upholds Death Sentence for Inmate in Brutal Cellmate Murder, Rejects Appeal Claims

RAIFORD, Fla. — The Florida Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Robert Craft on Thursday, dismissing his latest appeal in the 2018 murder of his cellmate. Craft was convicted for the first-degree murder of Darren Shira at the Columbia Correctional Institution in Lake City, where both were incarcerated.

Craft, who had pleaded guilty to the charge, had initially requested the death penalty himself. Since his sentencing, he has repeatedly challenged the decisions of the lower courts. Each of his appeals, however, has been denied by the higher court, reaffirming the severity of his sentence.

In the recent plea, Craft presented multiple issues, contending serious lapses on the part of his defense. His grievance included claims that his lawyers failed to delay hearings adequately, and that there had not been proper testing for his competency before a critical pre-trial hearing. The Supreme Court dismissed these claims, highlighting that the lower court had appointed two experts who attested to Craft’s mental competency, enabling him to forgo legal representation and enter a plea of guilty.

Of notable concern was Craft’s allegation that he had been deliberately placed in a cell with Shira by correctional officers. He suggested this act was calculated, aimed at inciting violence against Shira, who was implicated as a sex offender. This claim referenced a shared testimony from inmate Michael Bullett, indicating a pattern of correctional behavior to provoke attacks on certain inmates. However, Supreme Court Judge Meredith Sasso ruled this argument procedurally barred since Craft had waived his right to comprehensive evidence discovery when he pleaded guilty.

Judge Sasso critiqued that had Craft pursued complete discovery during his trial, he could have accessed and possibly used Bullett’s interview in his defense. The notion was dismissed as Craft’s decision to waive counsel and enter a guilty plea effectively sealed his access to these potential forms of relief at the appeal level.

Shira’s murder was described as particularly brutal. Reports indicated that Craft tortured Shira for an extended period before the murder, painting a gruesome picture of the incident that precipitated Craft’s original incarceration at Columbia Correctional for aggravated assault. These harrowing details underscored the court’s decision to uphold the death sentence.

This resolution reaffirms the complexities and challenges within the correctional and legal systems in handling cases of inmate violence and mental health evaluations. It also highlights the procedural nuances that can limit the scope of appeals in capital punishment cases.

Present throughout this process is a broader conversation about the management of violent offenders, the roles and responsibilities of correctional staff, and the legal pathways available to inmates post-conviction. This case, like others similar in gravity, remains a focal point in discussions about criminal justice, inmate rights, and the death penalty.