Sono contenta per lei.

Jun 16, 2000 - 10:37 PM

Judge Reduces Woman's Death Sentence to Life

The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - A woman who was sentenced to death four times for murdering a Jacksonville police officer in 1983 now faces life in prison.

Each time Andrea Hicks Jackson appealed her sentence, the Florida Supreme Court sent the case back to the trial judge. On Friday, Chief Circuit Judge Donald R. Moran, who had maintained for more than 15 years that Jackson should die, ordered that she spend life in prison instead.

Jackson was convicted of shooting Officer Gary Bevel, 29, as he attempted to arrest her on a charge of filing a false police report about vandalism to her car.

Three different juries recommended Jackson die, and in 1989 she came within five days of being executed. The Supreme Court found grounds for reversal each time.

Saying he was uncomfortable with the Florida Supreme Court sending the case back to him, Moran indicated he wanted some finality to the case.

"Justice requires punishment," Moran said during the sentencing.

Despite Moran's pronouncement that Jackson's prison sentence is "without parole," she could be eligible for release in nine years because of laws that were on the books at the time of the murder. When she was sentenced in 1984, murderers sentenced to life were eligible for parole after 25 years.

Jackson's most recent death penalty reversal, in January, was ordered

because she wasn't allowed to attend a sentencing hearing.

In 1986, Florida's high court upheld Jackson's first death sentence. A year later former Gov. Bob Martinez signed a death warrant. But the state Supreme Court granted Ms. Jackson a stay of execution, concluding there was improper testimony at her trial, and later vacated her death sentence.

A new death sentence was imposed in 1992, but the Supreme Court ruled in 1994 that the jury had been given a vague description of one of the factors that can be used to justify a death sentence.

The trial judge sentenced her to death for a third time, but the high court

concluded in 1997 that the judge had failed to adequately explain why he was rejecting reasons Jackson said would justify a life sentence over the death penalty.

In the last reversal, the Supreme Court told the trial judge to sentence

Jackson within 120 days. Then the case will return to the high court.

State Attorney Harry Shorstein said he understood Moran's frustration.

"With all respect for Judge Moran, he's been dealing with this case for 17

years, and I think that he felt that there had to be an end to it,"

Shorstein said. "I understand that he could conclude that it was appropriate to bring it to an end."

Moran's decision came as a surprise at Friday's sentencing hearing, because he had earlier stated that he intended to sentence her on July 13. Moran asked Jackson several times if she wanted to make any statements, but she repeatedly declined.

Jackson, 42, was one of only four women on Florida's Death Row.

Jacksonville police were angered by the decision. Sheriff Nat Glover, who

recruited Bevel, said he was disappointed Jackson wouldn't be executed for the murder.