Bio

James David Raulerson was born in March 09, 1951. He grew up in Florida, where he faced several challenges during his early life. Raulerson was abandoned by his father and later placed in a home by his mother. He was eventually adopted by his grandparents. This troubled childhood shaped many aspects of his life.

As he grew older, Raulerson struggled to find stability. He had various jobs and worked hard, showing dedication in his employment. He was engaged in the restaurant business, where he worked alongside a father figure who was shot and killed in a domestic dispute. This traumatic event deeply impacted Raulerson.

In addition to his work life, Raulerson displayed a keen interest in reconnecting with his family. He made significant efforts to locate his brothers and sisters, who had been adopted by different families. He also had a wife and a small child, which shows that he sought to build a family of his own amid the difficulties he faced in his early years.

Murder Story

On April 27, 1975, James David Raulerson committed a robbery at the Sailmaker Restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. During the robbery, he raped a female employee and then shot at responding police officers. Officers Michael Stewart and James English arrived at the scene to confront Raulerson and his accomplice, Jerry Leon Tant. A gun battle erupted, resulting in the death of Officer Stewart and the death of Tant as well.

Raulerson was arrested at the scene. His gun was found to be the one that killed Officer Stewart. He was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Despite several attempts to appeal his sentence, the courts upheld the conviction and Raulerson remained on death row.

Over the years, he made multiple appeals and claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. His execution was set for September 7, 1983, but various court actions delayed it. Finally, on January 30, 1985, James David Raulerson was executed in Florida's electric chair. He maintained that he was innocent and claimed that a stray bullet from police had killed Officer Stewart. However, he was pronounced dead after a surge of electricity.