How one of Florida’s longest-serving death row inmates has escaped execution five times
One of Florida's longest serving inmates has been on death row for almost 50 years after surviving five previous death warrants.
Paul Scott was sentenced to death in December 1979 after he was accused of killing florist James Alessi, alongside an accomplice named Richard Kondian.
He is the seventh longest-serving inmate on Florida's death row, after spending nearly 50 years there.
However, Scott has always maintained that he was not the one who took Alessi's life.
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“I did not kill Mr. Alessi. I did not help kill Mr. Alessi. I was not there when Mr. Alessi was killed,” Scott has previously said.
“Where is justice in this state? I’ve got 32 years for a murder I didn’t do.”
On the evening of 12 April 1978, it is reported that Scott and co-defendant Kondian murdered Alessi in his home.
The victim was found covered in blood, beaten in the head and chest and with a compressed skull fracture. It is believed his cause of death was due to severe head injuries.
In Alessi's home, there were also signs of a struggle, including broken items and blood stains. Scott's fingerprints were also reportedly found on a broken vase and a bloodstained knife.
After the murder, it is believed that Kondian and Scott managed to find the key to Alessi's florist and jewellery shop, where they seized a large amount of gold jewellery.
They were later apprehended in Sacramento, California, where Scott was found with various items of jewellery, including a golden bear charm, identical to one of Alessi's.
According to a witness, Charles Soutullo, Scott and Kondian had told him they planned on robbing Alessi, before inviting Soutullo to join them, which he declined.
Scott's time in prison exceeds the usual time inmates spend on death row, with the average being 17 years, according to Florida Department of Corrections.
Scott has so far survived five death warrants and numerous appeals, mainly due to concerns with his case.
For example, it's reported that eight of the original jurors in Scott's trial have expressed worry that certain information was not provided to them.
Meanwhile, in an affidavit, Kondian reportedly wrote: “Paul never intended to kill Alessi or anybody that night and did not intend to harm anybody. He never did murder anybody.”
Kondian hired top defence attorney David Ross and ended up pleading guilty to second-degree murder. He received 45 years but was released from prison after 14.
It's also reported that Scott is reluctant to accept a life sentence, instead.
D. Todd Doss, who represented Scott, said he would consider it to be a victory if Scott's death sentence could be reduced to life in prison.
However, Bob Pauley - who has been working on the case and even wrote a book and a song based on Scott - has said he doesn't want that.
"Kill me or release me," he said of Scott's view.
At a court hearing in 2012, Alessi's sister Jane Bunch told the Palm Beach Post: “They hurt my brother. They tortured my brother, and it was planned.
“He’s a murderer. He should be executed.”
Lucy Devine