Buzia v. State

John M. Buzia, a prisoner under sentence of death, appeals an order of the circuit court denying his initial motion under Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.851 to vacate his conviction of first-degree murder and sentence of death and petitions this Court for a writ of habeas corpus. We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 3(b)(1), (9), Fla. Const. For the reasons explained below, we affirm the postconviction court’s order denying relief, and we deny the habeas petition.

I. BACKGROUND

Buzia was indicted, tried, and found guilty of the first-degree murder of Charles Kersch, the attempted…