Senate Bill sb0020
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Florida Senate - 2002 (NP) SB 20
By Senator Dyer
14-9A-02
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act for the relief of Johnny L. Woods;
3 providing for Mr. Woods to recover from state
4 funds for certain injuries and damages he
5 sustained as a result of a home invasion;
6 providing an effective date.
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8 WHEREAS, on March 20, 1997, Mr. Johnny L. Woods became
9 a victim of a home invasion in which his home was burglarized
10 and he was severely injured and rendered legally blind, lost
11 an eye, and suffered speech impairment due to the loss of his
12 voice box, and
13 WHEREAS, the perpetrator of these offenses was
14 eventually imprisoned as a result of a probation violation and
15 sentenced to 5 years in a correctional institution, and
16 WHEREAS, Mr. Woods has stated that the state attorney's
17 office never informed him that he might be entitled to victim
18 compensation benefits pursuant to sections 960.01-960.28,
19 Florida Statutes, the Florida Crimes Compensation Act, and
20 WHEREAS, a letter from an assistant attorney general in
21 the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Florida attests that that office
22 "has reviewed both the case file and our case management
23 system and has been unable to locate any documentation
24 indicating that Mr. Woods was informed of the Victim's Comp.
25 program" and that a victim advocate was never assigned to his
26 case, "which lends credibility to his contention that he was
27 not informed of the victim's compensation program," and
28 WHEREAS, when a court, on October 24, 1997, sentenced
29 the defendant in this case to 2 years' community control, the
30 court also ordered the defendant to pay Mr. Woods $15,000 in
31 restitution, and
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Florida Senate - 2002 (NP) SB 20
14-9A-02
1 WHEREAS, according to the abovementioned assistant
2 attorney general's letter, the defendant subsequently violated
3 his community control and was sentenced to 5 years in the
4 Department of Corrections and is unlikely ever to pay
5 restitution to Mr. Woods, and
6 WHEREAS, after learning of the victim's compensation
7 program through a conversation with a friend of his who is a
8 private investigator, Mr. Woods filed a claim for
9 compensation, and
10 WHEREAS, because his claim was not timely filed in
11 accordance with section 960.07(2), Florida Statutes, the
12 Department of Legal Affairs, on July 11, 2000, denied Mr.
13 Woods' claim, and
14 WHEREAS, since Mr. Woods does not have the wherewithal
15 to appeal that decision to the district court of appeals, he
16 is seeking to obtain equitable recovery under this act, NOW,
17 THEREFORE,
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19 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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21 Section 1. The facts stated in the preamble to this
22 act are found and declared to be true.
23 Section 2. There is appropriated from the General
24 Revenue Fund to the Department of Legal Affairs the sum of
25 $15,000 for the relief of Johnny L. Woods for injuries and
26 damages sustained.
27 Section 3. The Comptroller is directed to draw a
28 warrant in favor of Johnny L. Woods in the sum of $15,000 upon
29 the funds of the Department of Legal Affairs in the State
30 Treasury, and the State Treasurer is directed to pay the same
31 out of such funds in the State Treasury.
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Florida Senate - 2002 (NP) SB 20
14-9A-02
1 Section 4. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
2 law.
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5 SENATE SUMMARY
6 Provides for Johnny L. Woods to recover from state funds
for certain injuries and damages he sustained as a result
7 of a home invasion.
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