Bio

Merrit Alonso Sims was born on August 10, 1966. He grew up in a neighborhood in Liberty City, Florida. Not much is known about his early family life or his education. As a child, he lived in a challenging environment which some say influenced his future.

In his teenage years, Sims began to have trouble with the law. He engaged in minor criminal activities, which eventually led to more serious offenses. His first major legal trouble came in 1990 when he was convicted of robbery with a firearm and grand theft with a firearm. As a result, he was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. He was released on April 16, 1991, just weeks before a serious crime occurred in his life.

After his release, Sims found himself in the same community where he'd grown up. He struggled to adjust to life outside prison. Reports suggest that he continued to face difficulties and did not have stable employment. These challenges may have contributed to his choices and actions in 1991.

Murder Story

On June 11, 1991, Merrit Alonso Sims was involved in the murder of Police Officer Charles Stafford in Dade County, Florida. The incident began when Officer Stafford stopped Sims, suspecting he was driving a stolen vehicle. While Stafford was trying to handcuff him, Sims attacked him by hitting him in the head with the officer's police radio. He then took Stafford's firearm and shot him twice.

After the shooting, Sims discarded the firearm in a river at a nearby park. The next day, he sought help to remove the handcuffs that were still on him. Sims then traveled by bus to California in search of his ex-girlfriend and children. He was eventually arrested and confessed to the murder, claiming it was self-defense.

Sims faced several charges, including first-degree murder, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was indicted on July 17, 1991. Sims pleaded not guilty, but on January 12, 1994, a jury found him guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Officer Stafford on March 18, 1994.

After spending over a decade on death row, the Florida Supreme Court vacated Sims' convictions in 2007, allowing for a new trial. The court ruled that there was a reasonable chance that the outcome would have been different if his counsel had performed adequately. The new trial was scheduled to commence in July 2009.