UPDATE: Leon Davis Jr.
PROSECUTORS MUST PROVE THEY CAN KEEP LEON DAVIS IN JAIL
by Suzie Schottelkotte – The Ledger.com, Lakeland FL
June 12th, 2009–State prosecutors will unveil the crux of their case against accused murderer Leon Davis in a hearing next month, although the hearing essentially has nothing to do with proving him guilty or innocent.
Circuit Judge Michael Hunter ruled Friday that prosecutors must prove that they have enough evidence to keep Davis in jail. When he was arrested on Dec. 13, 2007, the day two women were fatally burned during an attempted robbery at a Lake Wales insurance office, prosecutors had 21 days to officially charge him with those crimes.
Hunter ruled Friday that the state missed that deadline, which means Davis is eligible for a preliminary hearing on the allegations against him.
Prosecutors must prove there’s reason to believe Davis committed the murders he’s charged with, but at this point, that
proof doesn’t have to meet the higher reasonable-doubt standard, which will come at trial.
If Hunter rules that the state didn’t prove its case to hold Davis in custody, Davis will be eligible for release, but the criminal charges against him will stand while prosecutors continue to build their case.
Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace said Friday that he’s certain the state has enough evidence to keep Davis in custody.
“I have no doubt that we can prove probable cause at this point,” he said.
During Friday’s hearing, Wallace argued that the 21-day period began when each of the victims died, which happened several days after the failed robbery on Dec. 13.
Davis’ court-appointed lawyer Bob Norgard argued the 21-day period began the day Davis was arrested, which was Dec. 13.
Prosecutors allege that Davis, 31, walked into the Headley Nationwide Insurance office that December afternoon and demanded money. When the two employees said they had none, he ordered them into the bathroom, splashed gasoline on them and set them afire.
Yvonne Bustamante and Jane Luciano, who was five months pregnant, died from injuries related to their burns. Luciano’s son, who was delivered prematurely the night of the crimes, died three days after his birth.
Davis also faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of two convenience store clerks at a BP station on County Road 559 near Interstate 4 in Lake Alfred six days before the Lake Wales attacks. Both Pravinkumar Patel and Dashrath Patel died of gunshot wounds to their heads.
The killings have been described as the worst murder rampage in Polk County history.
Davis is being prosecuted separately on the two crimes, and the state is seeking the death penalty in each case.
He’s scheduled to stand trial on the two cases later this year. The trials have been delayed repeatedly because Davis has changed lawyers. He represented himself last summer.
Leon Davis Junior’s Criminal Records
Wow, this guy’s crimes left me stunned. And speechless. How cold and heartless does a person have to be to shoot two innocent men in cold blood? How evil was Leon Davis when he poured gasoline on two helpless women, one of them very pregnant, set them on fire, and watch them writhe and scream in agony as they burned? Who does that?
This is the kind of crime I never understand – Leon Davis went out of his way to be especially cruel and vicious. And no matter how much I looked for a motive for this cruelty, I couldn’t find one. Did he enjoy it? Only Leon Davis knows for sure and he isn’t talking.
The pictures are, from top to bottom:
1. Leon Davis Jr.
2. from left to right – Pravinkumar Patel and Dashrath Patel
3. from left to right – Jane Luciano and Yvonne Bustamante
20 Comments »
“How cold and heartless does a person have to be to shoot two innocent men in cold blood? How evil was Leon Davis when he poured gasoline on two helpless women, one of them very pregnant, set them on fire, and watch them writhe and scream in agony as they burned? Who does that?”
Okay now Max, I know you know a lot of crazy fuckers do this because we read about it often on this site. Disgusting none the less! Still shocking every time I read it. Thankfully! Not because I am glad to read it just glad to know I am still a moral human being that could never commit an atrocious crime against another living thing.
2. from left to right – Jane Luciano and Yvonne Bustamante
3. from left to right – Pravinkumar Patel and Dashrath Patel
Reverse these. Just a formatting thing I think
Are the names really reversed Kenny? I got the order from the news article I borrowed these pictures from, but if you’re sure I’m wrong, I’ll change it.
I meant the second picture are the Patels, the 3rd picture are the women. :D And yeah…I’m pretty sure the second picture is 2 guys :D
LOL Oh yeah. I guess you’re right buddy. Thanks for the heads up.
Jeez…. I don’t envy Grady Judd… I wouldn’t take his job for anything.
Hand wringing and excuse making re: Davis had an unhappy childhood in 5…4…3…2…
How could his attorney get so close to this monsters face and not tear it the fuck off his skull? I can’t imagine the kind of restraint it must take to breathe Davis’ air and allow him to continue inhaling. Criminal defense attorneys blow my mind.
I know violence is not an answer. Sometimes, though, it is a solution.
my names max and i’m a slut,
i like it in the butt,
every time i turn around i go put put
There once was a dipshit with a proxy
Who was soon made a programmer’s doxy.
He called himself Steve,
and would never leave
but his identity was clearly Doc’d see!
Note: A Doxy is and affectionate term for a Daschund and a slut, prostitute or trollop. The connotation is “Little bitch”
Note, the above was not Max, but I’m fairly certain was just poor little Steve from the Daniel Reyes thread.
I think half of the time I type the word an, the word and is completed by my fingertips.
Ahhhh one of the many reason why I log on in the mornings, It really is just to see what my mates have been finding out about the idiot “doxy’s” that come on here…..thanks Jason :)
I’ll go enjoy my morning coffee now…
(p.s. Is it the same steve from the Winquist/snow thread)….
…just wondering because I really would like to enjoy my breakfast too…lol
There once was a troll from Nantucket…
PWN Limericks. Always the way to go when dealing with trolls who have rhyming dictionaries. Hah!
You guys are the best. If I had 100,000 people like you three, we could fix everything that sucks about this world.
Everyone knows I am all for people paying for there crimes…I just think its fucked up IF he is innocent…that he has had to sit in jail for the last 3 years waiting for some hick prosecutor to do his job.If this guy did what he is accused of they should have killed his dumbass 3 years ago.
It was Leon Davis’ fault the case dragged on Z. At first he wanted to represent himself, then he changed his mind. He hired and fired two different lawyers, and tried to do it a third time, but the judge told him to get bent. Every time a new defense lawyer came on the case, he needed time learn the detail of the crime in order to develop a defense.
It’s a typical delaying tactic some defendants use. Charles Ng, the serial killer and Leonard Lake’s partner, used it along with other tactics to delay his trial for several years.
Well thank you for clearing that up for me Max….Seems dumb unless your facing the Death penalty…but makes sense when your guilty. I wonder how the families of the victims in cases like this keep so composed…I dont think i could do it buddy.
I hope his peice of shit trailer park girls are happy
Well thank you for clearing that up for me Max….Seems dumb unless your facing the Death penalty…but makes sense when your guilty. I wonder how the families of the victims in cases like this keep so composed…I dont think i could do it buddy.
Too bad we can’t set him on fire! What a scumbag!