Gary Michael Hilton v. State of Florida

Summary

The court affirmed Hilton’s first-degree murder conviction and death sentence. It held that Hilton’s transport statements were relevant to premeditation, that penalty-phase rebuttal testimony and the exemption of the rebuttal expert from sequestration were proper, and that competent substantial evidence supported the aggravating circumstances, rejection of mitigation, conviction, and sentence. The court also independently found the death sentence proportionate and rejected Hilton’s constitutional challenge to Florida’s capital-sentencing procedure.