Execution set for Martin Grossman, convicted killer of Fla. wildlife officer

Martin Grossman (pictured), after 24 years on death row, is scheduled to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Florida State Prison near Starke.

"It's long overdue," said Margaret Park, the victim's 79-year-old mother who lives in suburban Columbus, Ohio. "He had very good representation all the way through. I think he's been treated very fairly by the state of Florida. I don't take any pleasure in an execution, but it's time."

On the day she was killed, according to court records, Florida wildlife officer Peggy Park came upon two teenagers shooting a stolen handgun. Martin Grossman, who lived in nearby New Port Richey and was on probation from a burglary conviction, begged Park not to turn him in. He had gotten out of prison back in the summer and didn't want to return.

As she walked back to her vehicle to call in the information, Grossman - a foot taller and 100 pounds heavier than the diminutive Park - attacked, hitting her 20 to 30 times with her heavy flashlight as she got in the car. She managed to get off an errant shot and disable the other attacking teen with a kick to the groin before Grossman wrested her gun away and shot her in the head.

Grossman and his accomplice, 17-year-old Thayne Taylor, were arrested two weeks later after they talked about it to a friend who went to police. Taylor subsequently confessed.

Grossman was convicted in October 1985, and the jury recommended the death penalty by a 12-0 vote. Taylor was convicted of third-degree murder and served nearly three years in prison before being released into a supervised program.

Rabbi Menachem Katz, who has counseled Grossman for more than a decade, said the inmate is "holding strong."

"He's praying three times a day," Katz said. "He's continuing on the path of repentance. (He) has a lot of remorse."

Courts have rejected multiple appeals based on claims including ineffective assistance of counsel during the penalty phase, and diminished mental capacity. Katz said Grossman was young, drunk and on drugs when he committed the murder and doesn't believe the facts of the case warrant the death penalty.

Gov. Charlie Crist signed the death warrant Jan. 12. The Florida Supreme Court rejected his latest appeal last week.

If he is put to death Tuesday, Grossman will be the 69th inmate executed by Florida since it resumed the death penalty in 1979. The state has killed 24 by lethal injection and 44 in the old electric chair.

Source: Florida Herald, Feb. 15, 2010