Jewish inmate’s death sentence upheld

The Florida Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against a Jewish death row inmate.

The court Feb. 8 denied Martin Edward Grossman’s claims that he was entitled to a new hearing to determine if his trial lawyer was ineffective for not having him examined by a competent mental health professional and for not presenting mitigating evidence to avoid a death sentence.

Grossman’s execution is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16.

Grossman was convicted in the 1984 shooting death of Margaret Park, a state wildlife officer. He was 19 when Park tried to arrest him for shooting a stolen gun in an undeveloped area. He beat her before shooting Park with her own gun.

At the time Grossman was on probation for grand theft and breaking and entering. — jta