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Couey's Case Records Available Online

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By THOMAS W.  KRAUSE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 14, 2007

Couey's Case Records | Previous Coverage

TAMPA - As John Couey's death-sentence appeal proceeds through the Florida Supreme Court, all documents related to the appeal will be available online.

In Florida, most court documents are not allowed to be posted online while a Supreme Court committee works out possible privacy issues. One of the few exceptions is cases that are designated to be "high profile."

On Wednesday, the state's high court designated Couey's appeal as a high-profile case.

On the court's Web site, anyone can see a full version of Couey's appeal.

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John Couey

In the appeal, filed in late August, Couey's lawyers asked the justices to review 54 points, including:

• Circuit Judge Ric Howard's decision not to recuse himself.
• Howard's decision to move the trial to Miami without taking into account the demographic differences.
• Howard's refusal to give the defense more than the allotted 10 strikes used to eliminate potential jurors during the jury-selection process.

Howard's decision to allow prosecutors to use evidence related to Jessica Marie "Jessie" Lunsford's body, even through investigators found the body only through statements Couey made to detectives. Couey's statements were not used in court because Couey had requested a lawyer.

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Jessica Lunsford

Couey was convicted of abducting 9-year-old Jessie from her Homosassa mobile home, raping her and then burying her alive in February 2005. Last month, Couey was sentenced to death.

To see the appeal documents, click here.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813)259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

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