Is it right to apply a weeks-old Florida law to Joseph Zieler’s murder trial?

The Jury decided to recommend Joseph Zieler, a convicted double murderer, be put to death late Wednesday night.

Zieler was found guilty of killing Robin Cornell, 11, and Lisa Story, 32, in 1990.

Lee Hollander, the lawyer tasked to keep Zieler off death row, is speaking to WINK News. Hollander believes the Judge made a mistake when he applied a weeks-old Florida law to a murder case that occurred in 1990. Zieler’s life could be saved if an appeals court agrees.

Ten votes favored the death penalty, and two for serving life in prison. Until a few weeks ago, that would have automatically meant Zieler would serve life in prison. However, Florida’s new law requires only eight jurors to recommend death.

“My belief is that the court should have used the old law,” Hollander said. “Judge obviously disagreed.”

Since the crime occurred in 1990, Hollander believes the 2023 Florida law should not apply.

“That’s going to be my argument because there’s a provision in both United States and the Florida constitution that you can’t apply ex post facto, after the fact, if they make the person’s situation worse,” Hollander said.

WINK News asked Hollander if he thought Zieler’s behavior during the trial was related to the verdict.

“You had our client acting out on the witness stand,” Hollander said. “I’m pretty sure that didn’t help.”

There is an automatic appeal with the death sentence recommendation. Hollander thinks his client deserves more than that, explaining the Judge was wrong to apply the new Florida law.

“I think he gets a new trial,” Hollander said.

Judge Branning will sentence Zieler in late June. WINK News asked Hollander if he thought the Judge would follow the jury’s recommendation and send his client to death row. Hollander said he couldn’t answer that, but for the families of Robin and Lisa, death is justice finally served.