Florida Supreme Court rejects appeal by death-row inmate over 1993 shooting of gay man
An appeal by a death row inmate who shot and robbed a man he found in a West Palm Beach gay club has been rejected.
The Florida Supreme Court rejected the appeal by inmate Ronald Knight, who was sentenced to death for shooting and robbing Richard Kunkel, 33.
Convicted in 1993, Knight shot Kunkel in the head and stole his shoes, cash and watch.
Kunel’s body was dumped on Loxahatchee canal bank, the justices at the Court noted.
In a 35-page ruling, the Supreme Court rejected Knight’s argument that he had received ineffective legal representation during the trial.
Knight, 48, had raised claims that he had not received adequate legal representation.
But the arguments were rejected by Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and justices Barbara Pariente, R Fred Lewis, Peggy Quince and James EC Perry.
Knight and two accomplices were accused of luring Kunkel away from the gay bar, and invited him to go to a party.
After the men and Kunkel began to drive, they stopped in a secluded area to urinate, but during that time had shot Kunkel in the back.
Knight remains an inmate at the Union Correctional Institution.
