Governor signs another death warrant for Spaziano
Dublin Core
Title
Governor signs another death warrant for Spaziano
Subject
Capitol punishment
Chiles, Lawton, 1930-1998
Description
Joseph Spaziano is served another death warrant despite doubts about his guilt
Creator
The Associated Press
Source
"Governor Signs Another Death Warrant for Spaziano." The Gainesville Sun.
Publisher
HIST 298, University of Mary Washington
Date
1995-08-25
Rights
The materials in this online collection are held by Special Collections, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington and are available for educational use. For this purpose only, you may reproduce materials without prior permission on the condition that you provide attribution of the source.
Format
1 JPG
300 dpi
Language
English
Coverage
Tallahassee, Fl
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
TALLAHASSEE- After a two-month investigation, Gov. Lawton Chiles had no doubts Thursday in signing another death warrant for Joseph “Crazy Joe” Spaziano, condemned for a mutilation-murder 22 years ago.
Spaziano, 49, had been scheduled to die in Florida’s electric chair in late June, but the governor canceled the execution after media reports raised questions about the case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been investigating since then.
“This exhaustive review removes any doubt in my mind about this case,” Chiles said in a statement released by his office.
The FDLE report backs up the conclusion of every court that ever heard the case, Chiles said.
“Joseph Spaziano has received due process, and justice demands that he now face the consequences for the crimes he has committed,” Chiles said.
The warrant is in effect from noon Sept. 19 through noon Sept. 26. The execution has been scheduled for 7 a.m. Sept. 21 at Florida State Prison near Starke.
A Vermont law professor who represents Spaziano said he spoke with his client after learning about the warrant.
“He’s terrified. He’s angry,” said Michael Mello of Wilder, Vt. “He asked me, ‘What should I be doing now?’ I said, ‘You and your family need to be preparing for your death.’”
Mello called the FDLE investigation a wash.
Spaziano was serving a life prison term for an unrelated rape conviction in 1975 when he was charged with the murder of Laura Lynn Haberts, whose sexually mutilated body had been found in a trash dump near Altamonte Springs on August 22, 1973.
Another decomposed body was found in the dump, but it has ever been identified, and Spaziano faced no charges in that case.
A jury convicted Spaziano of Haberts’ murder only after twice telling the judge they couldn’t reach a verdict. The jury voted 9-3 for life imprisonment, but Circuit Judge Robert McGregor sentenced Spaziano to death.
One of the jurors said the panel favored the life sentence because of doubts about Spaziano’s guilt. The jury wasn’t told about Spaziano’s rape conviction.
Three Florida governors have signed death warrants for Spaziano.
Spaziano, 49, had been scheduled to die in Florida’s electric chair in late June, but the governor canceled the execution after media reports raised questions about the case. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has been investigating since then.
“This exhaustive review removes any doubt in my mind about this case,” Chiles said in a statement released by his office.
The FDLE report backs up the conclusion of every court that ever heard the case, Chiles said.
“Joseph Spaziano has received due process, and justice demands that he now face the consequences for the crimes he has committed,” Chiles said.
The warrant is in effect from noon Sept. 19 through noon Sept. 26. The execution has been scheduled for 7 a.m. Sept. 21 at Florida State Prison near Starke.
A Vermont law professor who represents Spaziano said he spoke with his client after learning about the warrant.
“He’s terrified. He’s angry,” said Michael Mello of Wilder, Vt. “He asked me, ‘What should I be doing now?’ I said, ‘You and your family need to be preparing for your death.’”
Mello called the FDLE investigation a wash.
Spaziano was serving a life prison term for an unrelated rape conviction in 1975 when he was charged with the murder of Laura Lynn Haberts, whose sexually mutilated body had been found in a trash dump near Altamonte Springs on August 22, 1973.
Another decomposed body was found in the dump, but it has ever been identified, and Spaziano faced no charges in that case.
A jury convicted Spaziano of Haberts’ murder only after twice telling the judge they couldn’t reach a verdict. The jury voted 9-3 for life imprisonment, but Circuit Judge Robert McGregor sentenced Spaziano to death.
One of the jurors said the panel favored the life sentence because of doubts about Spaziano’s guilt. The jury wasn’t told about Spaziano’s rape conviction.
Three Florida governors have signed death warrants for Spaziano.
Original Format
Newspaper
Contributor of the Digital Item
Bishop, Michelle
Student Editor of the Digital Item
Williams, Megan
Files
Citation
The Associated Press, “Governor signs another death warrant for Spaziano,” HIST299, accessed July 12, 2026, https://hist299.umwhistory.org/items/show/188.