SAVE John Calvin Taylor in Florida
John Calvin Taylor II, DC# J12116
(Born September 19, 1960)
Who is John Calvin Taylor
John Calvin Taylor defines himself as a "safe cracker" (an offense for which he says he has had over 20 convictions), not a murderer.
According to his pen friends, "John is known to be ‘a good guy’ by several guards. He is well-liked for his kindness and helpfulness. ‘He ain’t guilty, he ain’t got it in him’. ‘What you see in this VP (Visitors Park) is what JT’s like on the row; he’s genuine…’. ‘He’s not guilty, is he?’ These are the kind of remarks we’ve had spoken to us by assorted folk. We have spoken to his step-grandmother and befriended his step-mother. Both have been deeply affected by the crime. They both state John was not a violent man and, although a thief and a liar, enjoyed being kind and helpful."
John Calvin Taylor defines himself as a "safe cracker" (an offense for which he says he has had over 20 convictions), not a murderer.
According to his pen friends, "John is known to be ‘a good guy’ by several guards. He is well-liked for his kindness and helpfulness. ‘He ain’t guilty, he ain’t got it in him’. ‘What you see in this VP (Visitors Park) is what JT’s like on the row; he’s genuine…’. ‘He’s not guilty, is he?’ These are the kind of remarks we’ve had spoken to us by assorted folk. We have spoken to his step-grandmother and befriended his step-mother. Both have been deeply affected by the crime. They both state John was not a violent man and, although a thief and a liar, enjoyed being kind and helpful."
Case summary
John Calvin Taylor, II (Taylor), was tried and sentenced to death (by a 10 -2 jury) on October 7th, 1999, for the robbery and murder of Shannon Holzer with a deadly weapon (stabbing with knife).
The evidence presented at trial showed Jeff Holzer, the victim's husband, arrived home early on the morning of December 30, 1997, and became concerned because his wife was not at home. (...) Later that evening, Holzer's vehicle was discovered stuck in the mud on a fire break road in a wooded area. Holzer's body was discovered a short time later off the road in the woods. She had been stabbed nine times in the abdomen and upper chest. Holzer's clothing, including her pants and underwear, had been partially removed.
Official circumstances of the offense
According to Shannon Holzer’s coworker and friend, Cindy Schmermund, on 12/29/97, Holzer left the Buddy Boy’s convenience store, where they worked, around 1:00 p.m. to deposit about $6,000 at the bank for the store. Holzer usually deposited money for Buddy Boy’s and the neighboring meat shop.
Schmermund claimed that, on 12/29/97, Holzer pulled up in front of the store with Taylor in the car and pumped gas. Holzer then entered Buddy Boy’s and Schmermund asked Holzer why Taylor was with her. Holzer answered that she was giving him a ride to Green Cove Springs so he could pick up a rental car. Taylor needed a rental car because his truck had been damaged in an accident. Three other witnesses testified to seeing Taylor and Holzer leave together and hearing Holzer say she was taking Taylor to Green Cove Springs.
Jeff Holzer, the victim’s husband, reported his wife missing when she did not return home the following day. The police discovered Holzer had not deposited the money into Buddy Boy’s account, and she had not taken care of her horses. Police interviewed witnesses about Holzer’s disappearance and were told Taylor and Holzer were seen together.
On the evening of 12/30/97, Holzer’s car was found on a firebreak road. Her body was later found off the same road in the woods. According to a forensic pathologist, Holzer was stabbed nine times, with six stab wounds to her heart and three penetrating her left lung. The pathologist (...) testified that evidence suggested that Holzer was sitting in the driver’s seat and attempted to defend herself against a person attacking from the passenger seat. The pathologist further testified that there were two small bruises inside Holzer’s vagina made fewer than 12 hours before her death.
According to his pen friends, "John was offered a plea bargain. He was offered 25 years (I believe) for pleading guilty. He said, ‘I refuse to plead guilty for a murder I have not committed. I’d rather die.’ Indeed, he is dismayed at the thought of his sentence being commuted to LWOP, because, even 17 years later, all he wants is his exoneration; nothing less will do."
Legal documents
. May 30th, 2013: Ruling of the Florida Supreme Court (Habeas), John Calvin TAYLOR, II, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
. June 05th, 2003: Ruling of the Florida Supreme Court affirming John Taylor's death conviction and sentence of death
. John Calvin Taylor v State of Florida (evidentiary hearing transcript, non dated)
John Calvin Taylor, II (Taylor), was tried and sentenced to death (by a 10 -2 jury) on October 7th, 1999, for the robbery and murder of Shannon Holzer with a deadly weapon (stabbing with knife).
The evidence presented at trial showed Jeff Holzer, the victim's husband, arrived home early on the morning of December 30, 1997, and became concerned because his wife was not at home. (...) Later that evening, Holzer's vehicle was discovered stuck in the mud on a fire break road in a wooded area. Holzer's body was discovered a short time later off the road in the woods. She had been stabbed nine times in the abdomen and upper chest. Holzer's clothing, including her pants and underwear, had been partially removed.
Official circumstances of the offense
According to Shannon Holzer’s coworker and friend, Cindy Schmermund, on 12/29/97, Holzer left the Buddy Boy’s convenience store, where they worked, around 1:00 p.m. to deposit about $6,000 at the bank for the store. Holzer usually deposited money for Buddy Boy’s and the neighboring meat shop.
Schmermund claimed that, on 12/29/97, Holzer pulled up in front of the store with Taylor in the car and pumped gas. Holzer then entered Buddy Boy’s and Schmermund asked Holzer why Taylor was with her. Holzer answered that she was giving him a ride to Green Cove Springs so he could pick up a rental car. Taylor needed a rental car because his truck had been damaged in an accident. Three other witnesses testified to seeing Taylor and Holzer leave together and hearing Holzer say she was taking Taylor to Green Cove Springs.
Jeff Holzer, the victim’s husband, reported his wife missing when she did not return home the following day. The police discovered Holzer had not deposited the money into Buddy Boy’s account, and she had not taken care of her horses. Police interviewed witnesses about Holzer’s disappearance and were told Taylor and Holzer were seen together.
On the evening of 12/30/97, Holzer’s car was found on a firebreak road. Her body was later found off the same road in the woods. According to a forensic pathologist, Holzer was stabbed nine times, with six stab wounds to her heart and three penetrating her left lung. The pathologist (...) testified that evidence suggested that Holzer was sitting in the driver’s seat and attempted to defend herself against a person attacking from the passenger seat. The pathologist further testified that there were two small bruises inside Holzer’s vagina made fewer than 12 hours before her death.
According to his pen friends, "John was offered a plea bargain. He was offered 25 years (I believe) for pleading guilty. He said, ‘I refuse to plead guilty for a murder I have not committed. I’d rather die.’ Indeed, he is dismayed at the thought of his sentence being commuted to LWOP, because, even 17 years later, all he wants is his exoneration; nothing less will do."
Legal documents
. May 30th, 2013: Ruling of the Florida Supreme Court (Habeas), John Calvin TAYLOR, II, Appellant, v. STATE of Florida, Appellee
. June 05th, 2003: Ruling of the Florida Supreme Court affirming John Taylor's death conviction and sentence of death
. John Calvin Taylor v State of Florida (evidentiary hearing transcript, non dated)
Version of John Calvin Taylor: Case summary and issues
(As stated in legal documents:)
At trial, Taylor's defense was that McJunkin had committed the robbery and murder. Taylor took the stand in his own defense. Taylor did not deny requesting a ride or leaving Buddy Boy's with Holzer in her car. Taylor alleged that he walked to Buddy Boy's after McJunkin had taken his rental car to the mobile home, leaving Taylor stranded at his wife's house. Taylor claimed that he asked Holzer to take him to his mobile home to pick up his rental car. According to Taylor's version of events, Holzer dropped him off at the mobile home and McJunkin was there playing video games. Taylor claimed Holzer gave McJunkin a ride to Green Cove Springs to visit a friend and some time later, McJunkin called him from a gas station near the scene of the crime to pick him up.
The following (below) document was sent to EP by John Taylor (Summer 2016)
Additional documents are stored in a cupboard at the pen friend's house in the UK. The husband of the pen friend read all the documents. They also have been in touch with the current attorney on the case who does not want, in short, anything to do with them.
According John Taylor the document below contains about 60% of the information about the case, i.e. what he thinks are the most important issues.
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What his pen friend says
A separate document exist written by the pen friends, summarising what they think are the salient points in the case, in light of their years of writing (and visits) with John Taylor. They have also read the entirety of the pre-trial records and spent some time with one of the co-defense lawyer who was a member of John's legal defence firm. They firmly believe in the innocence of John.
They say:
John has been hampered throughout by inadequate legal representation;
he is indigent and dependent upon the registry lawyers. When we introduced ourselves (politely) to John’s current lawyer, we were met with open rudeness and told never to believe what any death row prisoner said and never to write to him again. John himself is barely on speaking terms with this lawyer, who has stated his determination to ‘get the job finished’
The pen friends and John Taylor. They are planning to go early next year to Florida to visit John Taylor again.
What a past attorney said to the pen friends (2012)
From what I understand from Frank [Tassone - former attorney] and my last conversation,
Frank is going to get off the case. If that does happen, John needs to look at Martinez v. Ryan, a case recently decided by the U.S. Supreme Court right that is right on point with John's case. Essentially, this case should allow John to relitigate claims he wanted in his 3.851 Motion under the allegation that his attorney failed to argue meritorious claims.
What the Florida Supreme Court says
This video discusses the mitigation in the case and the mental health expertise (by Dr Krop), which showed that John Taylor may have "anti social tendencies", but no major mental illness or any particular psychopathology that could have helped mitigation.
Source: Representation by Franck Tassone in front of the Florida Supreme Court (5th September 2012) - See video (at 1h54mn) here in which the lawyer Franck Tassone admits making poor decision in the case. In this video, the attorney also confuses the dates, does not know the age of his client, or the date of the offense.
Latest motion filed to appoint conflict free CJA counsel (23rd September 2016)
This motion was filed by a jailhouse attorney from Florida death row to remove current counsel (Christopher Anderson)
This motion was filed by a jailhouse attorney from Florida death row to remove current counsel (Christopher Anderson)
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