Manuel Valle sits on death row awaiting execution by the people of Florida. I present below the summary of his case as provided in a Florida Supreme Court appellate decision.
On April 2, 1978, Officer Louis Pena of the Coral Gables Police Department was on patrol when he stopped appellant and a companion for a traffic violation. The events that followed were witnessed by Officer Gary Spell, also of the Coral Gables Police Department. Officer Spell testified that when he arrived at the scene, appellant was sitting in the patrol car with Officer Pena. Shortly thereafter, Spell heard Pena use his radio to run a license check on the car appellant was driving. According to Spell, appellant then walked back to his car and reached into it, approached Officer Pena and fired a single shot at him, which resulted in his death. Appellant also fired two shots at Spell and then fled. He was picked up two days later in Deerfield Beach. Following his jury trial, appellant was also found guilty of the attempted first-degree murder of Spell and after a non-jury trial, he was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
We know that Valle also confessed to murdering Office Spell Pena, since his appeal included a claim that his confession was obtained in violation of Miranda. The Supreme Court disagreed.
I find no one claiming that Manuel Valle is factually innocent.
While I oppose the execution of any person that might be factually innocent of the crime for which he is to die, I take no position on the execution of people who are undoubtedly guilty. With respect to the propriety of Manuel Valle's execution, I stand mute.
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