THE DARK SIDE OF FLORIDA
John Roberts
#004067
photo courtesy FDC
Full Name: John Henry Roberts
Date of birth: November 27, 1939
Conviction: 1st-degree murder
County: Broward
City: Fort Lauderdale
Current Location: Released
Partner(s): John Adderley
Date of Crime: May 12, 1961
Release date: May 24, 2006
Victim(s): Benjamin Franklin Campbell, Jr.
Date of birth: November 27, 1939
Conviction: 1st-degree murder
County: Broward
City: Fort Lauderdale
Current Location: Released
Partner(s): John Adderley
Date of Crime: May 12, 1961
Release date: May 24, 2006
Victim(s): Benjamin Franklin Campbell, Jr.
At approximately 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 12, 1961, Benjamin Franklin Campbell, Jr., was shot while tending his Fort Lauderdale grocery store. A customer, standing across the store, heard one shot and also heard a voice say, “You shot me.” The customer ran to an adjoining kitchen area where Benjamin’s wife was preparing her husband’s dinner. Mrs. Campbell also heard, “I am shot.”
Upon entering the store proper, Mrs. Campbell found her husband lying on the floor, mortally wounded. The drawer of the cash register was open and she noted that certain ten and twenty dollar bills which were previously in the drawer had disappeared.
Before entering the store from the kitchen, Mrs. Campbell dialed the phone operator to call for an ambulance and the police. While on the phone, she saw the heads of two people as they were leaving the front of the store.
At about 6:00 p.m., May 12, 1961, John Henry Roberts was taken into custody. He was arrested initially for “investigation of the homicide.” At about 11:30 p.m. on May 12, John Alfred Adderley was similarly arrested. From about 6:30 p.m. until about 1:30 a.m., Roberts was interrogated. He denied any connection with the crime.
Shortly after midnight, May 13, and within approximately one hour of his arrest, Adderley made a full confession of his participation in the robbery and murder. He implicated Roberts. At about 11:45 a.m., May 13, Adderley was brought face to face with Roberts. “It was a terrible thing we did. They have caught us…the only thing…to do…is…to tell the truth.” Around noon that day, Roberts also gave a full confession that corroborated with Adderley’s story.
At trial, the men recanted his confession and tried to obtain alibis. They were found guilty of first-degree murder by separate verdicts. Death sentences ensued. They are seeking reversal on numerous grounds. One being that their confessions were obtained by prolonged and excessive interrogation. It was proven that the interrogation lasted from 6:30 p.m. and continued intermittently until 1:30 a.m., but the interrogation was not constant. There were several breaks. Roberts went to bed around 1:30 a.m. and interrogation didn’t resume until 9:30 a.m. In the meantime, Adderley confessed. It was made clear that Roberts showed no inclination to confess until he was confronted by his accomplice.
The State placed in evidence a .25-caliber pistol which was shown to have belonged to Roberts. Also in evidence was a shell casing found at the scene and a slug removed from the body of the victim. The state called a ballistics expert who testified that he had test-fired the pistol and confirmed the markings matched the bullet removed from the victim.
The State produced a witness, Boswell, who testified that on Monday, May 8, he accompanied Roberts to the establishment of one Livingston for the purpose of pawning Roberts’ pistol. Boswell handled the negotiations with Livingston. Other testimony revealed that Roberts had redeemed his pistol from Livingston on the morning of the homicide. This was the pistol that was identified as the murder weapon.
Upon entering the store proper, Mrs. Campbell found her husband lying on the floor, mortally wounded. The drawer of the cash register was open and she noted that certain ten and twenty dollar bills which were previously in the drawer had disappeared.
Before entering the store from the kitchen, Mrs. Campbell dialed the phone operator to call for an ambulance and the police. While on the phone, she saw the heads of two people as they were leaving the front of the store.
At about 6:00 p.m., May 12, 1961, John Henry Roberts was taken into custody. He was arrested initially for “investigation of the homicide.” At about 11:30 p.m. on May 12, John Alfred Adderley was similarly arrested. From about 6:30 p.m. until about 1:30 a.m., Roberts was interrogated. He denied any connection with the crime.
Shortly after midnight, May 13, and within approximately one hour of his arrest, Adderley made a full confession of his participation in the robbery and murder. He implicated Roberts. At about 11:45 a.m., May 13, Adderley was brought face to face with Roberts. “It was a terrible thing we did. They have caught us…the only thing…to do…is…to tell the truth.” Around noon that day, Roberts also gave a full confession that corroborated with Adderley’s story.
At trial, the men recanted his confession and tried to obtain alibis. They were found guilty of first-degree murder by separate verdicts. Death sentences ensued. They are seeking reversal on numerous grounds. One being that their confessions were obtained by prolonged and excessive interrogation. It was proven that the interrogation lasted from 6:30 p.m. and continued intermittently until 1:30 a.m., but the interrogation was not constant. There were several breaks. Roberts went to bed around 1:30 a.m. and interrogation didn’t resume until 9:30 a.m. In the meantime, Adderley confessed. It was made clear that Roberts showed no inclination to confess until he was confronted by his accomplice.
The State placed in evidence a .25-caliber pistol which was shown to have belonged to Roberts. Also in evidence was a shell casing found at the scene and a slug removed from the body of the victim. The state called a ballistics expert who testified that he had test-fired the pistol and confirmed the markings matched the bullet removed from the victim.
The State produced a witness, Boswell, who testified that on Monday, May 8, he accompanied Roberts to the establishment of one Livingston for the purpose of pawning Roberts’ pistol. Boswell handled the negotiations with Livingston. Other testimony revealed that Roberts had redeemed his pistol from Livingston on the morning of the homicide. This was the pistol that was identified as the murder weapon.
Source: Justia US Law