Felix O. Bullard v. State Florida

Appellant was convicted of the crime of murder in the first degree without recommendation of mercy and sentenced to die by electrocution. These appear to be the essential facts relating to the alleged crime: For about a year and a half, appellant had kept company with one Jean Sterne, a divorcee and mother of a daughter, aged fifteen, and son, aged thirteen. For some time, however, Mrs. Sterne had sought to terminate the relationship. During the night of the crime, appellant and Mrs. Sterne had several encounters in which she attempted to avoid appellant. Finally, in the early morning hours, he knocked at the door of her apartment and asked through the closed door if she would talk with him. She refused and asked him to leave. He claimed, and she denied, that she said that she was expecting another caller and did not wish him to find appellant at her door. In any event, appellant thereupon broke out some glass jalousies and gained entrance to the apartment. In the ensuing confusion, appellant repeatedly stabbed the daughter, Gayle, and Mrs. Sterne. Gayle died as a result of her wounds.