State of Florida v. Norman Earle Grimm, Jr.

Milton, Florida, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with capital murder.



Norman Grim, with one count of first degree murder

and one count of sexual battery with a weapon (1 R 9-12). He pled not guilty to

those offenses (1 R 13), and the State later filed a notice that it intended to seek the

death penalty if he was convicted of the murder (1 R 18). Later, at his request, the

court appointed Dr. James Larson, a psychologist, to evaluate his competency and

sanity (1 R 48-49, 50-53, 94-96). Grim or the State also filed the following motions

or notices relevant to this appeal:

1. Notice on Defendant's Statements and Motion to Determine voluntariness (1

R 100-103). Denied (2 R 202-205)

2. Notice of Intent [by the defendant] to Introduce Victim Hearsay Statements

(1 R 132-33). The court refused to let Grim introduce the hearsay (2 R 206-210).

3. Motion to Suppress evidence obtained through a search of Grim's home (1

R 134-35). Denied (1 R 200-201).

4. Notice of Intent to Present Expert Testimony of Mental Mitigation Pursuant

to Rule 3.202, Fla. R. Crim. P.

Almost from the beginning of this case, Grim indicated he wanted to waive his

right to present any mitigating evidence should his case proceed to the penalty

phase hearing. Shortly before his trial began, the court, following the procedure

outlined by this Court in Koon v. Dugger, 619 So. 2d 246 (Fla. 1993), found that

he had made a valid waiver of the right, and it heard what mitigation Grim's penalty

phase lawyer believed he could prove (2 R 211-15). The defendant proceeded to

trial before Judge Kenneth Bell, and after the jury had heard the evidence, argument,

and law, it found the defendant guilty as charged on both counts (2 R 219).

Accordingly, he proceeded to the penalty phase portion of the trial, and the state

presented evidence of, and the court would eventually found it had proven, the

following aggravators:

1. At the time of the murder, Grim was on parole.

2. The defendant had several convictions for violent felonies although they had

occurred in 1981 or 1982.

3. Grim committed a sexual battery at the time of the murder.

The defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to death. He was executed on October 29, 2025.