St. Petersburg, FL – Execution Set for Martin Grossman for Murdering Wildlife Officer

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    Martin Grossman (R)is set to be executed for shooting to death in 1984 Officer Margaret St. Petersburg, FL – Margaret “Peggy” Park thought she had found her dream job. Three years out of Ohio State University and just 26, she was working as a Florida wildlife officer patrolling the lush Brooker Creek nature preserve near Tampa.

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    Her life ended suddenly on Dec. 13, 1984, after she happened upon two teenagers in the woods with a stolen gun. One of them, Martin Edward Grossman, then 19, brutally beat Park with her flashlight and, prosecutors said, finished her off with a shot to the back of the head from her own gun. He was convicted of first-degree murder.

    Grossman, 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.”

    Park said she and her son and daughter plan to come to Florida to witness the execution, which they hope will lead to closure. Her husband died in 2000.

    “Every time something has come up (in the case), it has been like a wave coming up and knocking you back down, and you go over all the emotions again,” she said. “We just need to have an end to this coming back and hitting us again.”

    An animal lover who enjoyed camping with her family while growing in the Columbus suburb of Bexley, Peggy Park earned a degree in natural resources and wildlife management from Ohio State in 1981. She graduated from wildlife officer recruit school in 1982 and was assigned to Pinellas County, across the bay from Tampa.

    Gary Morse, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman who worked closely with Peggy Park back then, remembers her as a “people person” who enjoyed helping him teach hunter education classes.

    “Peggy was a dedicated officer, but she was really a sweetheart,” Morse said. “She really loved animals, particularly wildlife.”

    Peggy Park “was the type of person who was everyone’s friend,” her mother said. “I don’t think she had a mean bone in her body.”

    On the day she was killed, according to court records, Park came upon the two teenagers shooting the stolen handgun. 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.

    As for Park, her body was cremated and the ashes scattered among the eagles’ nests she worked to protect. A nature trail is named in her memory at a Pinellas County park, and several years ago a memorial plaque was installed near the spot where she died.


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    123 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    “Hitting her 20 to 30 times with a heavy flashlight” — I find it interesting that that tidbit did not make it into the Agudah’s version of events.

    James Dean
    James Dean
    14 years ago

    I hope that everyone reading this story looks deep inside themselves and asks if we as a Klal should support the death penalty. There is only one set of laws.

    Yankel
    Yankel
    14 years ago

    I feel for her and her family. A coldblooded murder.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Whichever way you look at this, it’s a tragedy for both families. I understand Officer Park’s family. I also understand the efforts of everyone to stay Grossman’s execution. There are no winners here.

    former defense attorney
    former defense attorney
    14 years ago

    pls No 1 write Any thing negative OnlY positive (if u have any thing negative -write it down on a piece of paper & flush it ) in that zechus we might save a jewish life ! Now for those that say how about if the woman he killed was your mother – my answer to them is -how about if it was YOUR BROTHER being executed tomorrow – think out of the box tizcu lemitvos

    wanna be
    wanna be
    14 years ago

    Oi. Hashem yerachaim

    formally
    formally
    14 years ago

    not a big advocate of the death penalty (mistakes can be made)I don’t see why this should be different. It was cold blooded murder

    Zissy Solomon
    Zissy Solomon
    14 years ago

    Chazal say: afilu cherev munachas Al tzavuroy, Al tisyaesh min harachamin. Yidden! He doesn’t deserve the death penalty, Regarldless whom he killed, or when he killed. Please say another kapital tehilim for his life.

    PMO
    PMO
    14 years ago

    While I certainly don’t like seeing yidden executed, I can’t help but have far more sympathy for this poor woman’s family than for this man. Drugs and alcohol can’t excuse a murder, and are not even “mitigating circumstances” in my book. I am glad that he has tried to put some purpose to his life while in prison and I wish they would just leave him their until his dying day. It is a shame.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Unfortunately, commiting murder while being young, drunk, and on drugs isn’t and shouldn’t be mitigating circumstances.
    The Orthodox community, like their counterparts in Eretz Yisroel, should support substituting the death penalty with Life-Without-Parole, for circumstances like this and also because recent DNA tests have proven that innocent people were on Death Row.

    mark meyer appel
    mark meyer appel
    14 years ago

    it is a great mitzva to help jews who commited crimes. we are a compassionate people. helping the spinker rebbee,rubashkin,grossman is a noble act of chesed but,,,,,,,,,,,,,,do not the victims like abused kids get a similar voice for action by our leadeders lets think about changining our priorties rabbi zwebel

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    There is no doubt a crime was commited. What I fail to understand is why this is considered murder in the first degree and a death penalty is warranted here. This appears to be manslaughter. A prison sentence would be appropriate based on the facts. Him httting the victim so many times does not sound pre-meditated. If any of the attorneys out there could give some insight it would be appreciated.

    confused.
    confused.
    14 years ago

    In our holy torah, don’t we execute people for lighting a match on shabbos? If so, someone who beat someone mercilessly to death deserves to die, end of case.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    To say he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol and that is why he did what he did………………………….
    Think of when u drink, would U ever hit someone chas v’shalom, 20 to 30 times in a terrible violent act. Or would u try and run away. I hope he did repent and that every night when he goes to sleep he begs Hashem to forgive him. But we cannot judge him or excuse his actions.

    Askan
    Askan
    14 years ago

    There is still time to save him! Please bombard the governors phone, fax, email. The details are available on other jewish websites. ACT NOW! Please!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Here in the Yiddish leaflets it says “he is mentally challenged, he still talks like a small child”.

    That tidbit somehow didn’t make the news.

    What a great way to treat us like we have no minds.

    Tenaach
    Tenaach
    14 years ago

    During the times of the first Bayis, they were not so sensitive and did not have such bleeding hearts as we do.

    Shoul Hamelech killed out a whole town of Kohanim, including young Bochurum, besides trying to kill his own Son-n-Law.

    Dovid killed everyone he suspected might be a threat to his Dynesty. He killed and let hang over-night a whole group of Shoul’s grand children (and Meforshim say that the only real logical reason was that he was suspecting a come-back of Shoul’s regime).

    Shlomo Hamelech announced that his father gave him a whole list of Yidden to kill.

    The gemoro says that Daas Balei Baatim isn’t Torah.

    Loshon Hora
    Loshon Hora
    14 years ago

    I personaly felt like many bloggers above, but Many Poskim hold that one must save his life including a tshuva from the Chasam sofer, so botloh daati.
    I also feel that in the UK a murderer gets a life sentance, and a life sentance is 25 years. I feel it is unfair to give both 25 years with a nose round his neck & then a death sentance.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He was on drugs and alcohol, but he knew enough to make the choice of taking a life for the opportunity to avoid prison. The icing on the cake is the heavy flashlight 20 to 30 times. Why not 2 times and then run?
    The prior burglary conviction is also very disconcerting. There is a very high risk of death when someone commits a burglary. He sat for it and still didn’t learn his lesson. Playing with stolen guns shortly after the burglary conviction. Burglary alone should have netted him 25 years in prison. He shouldnt have been on the streets to begin with.
    My only reservation is that if he wrestled the gun away after she took a shot, and assuming her life was not in danger by the flashlight, then him wrestling it away and shooting her might have been an act of adrenaline/haste as opposed to cold blood. Surely, he could have simply ran away with the gun…..On the other hand, if the reason he didn’t just run away with the gun was because he thought she would tattle, and that’s why he shot here……. These questions are what makes me indecisive.
    I guess Hashem will answer the question on Tuesday.

    chief doofis
    chief doofis
    14 years ago

    If the victim were from Boro Park, and the assailant was from Harlem, would anyone here be praying for the life of this murderer?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    i too feel he should get the death penalty, HOWEVER, as das Torah has spoken, my feelings dont matter and i signed the petition. you MUST put your feelings aside no matter how strong and defer to das Torah.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The sign of a jew is rachmunes !!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Nebech Nebech – the whole thing is a gevaldigga tradegy for all of Mankind. Uballa Hamavess LaNetzach

    A Copy Of My Letter...
    A Copy Of My Letter...
    14 years ago

    To the Honorable Gov. Crist;
    I hereby beseech you to reconsider the death sentence meted out to Martin Grossman (DC # 089742), based on the following reasonable arguments:
    Florida Statutes (1993) 921.141 provides that evidence of mitigating circumstances may be used to determine the appropriate penalty for convicted murderers. Subsection (6) includes the following Mitigating Circumstances:
    (a) The defendant has no significant history of prior criminal activity.
    (b) The capital felony was committed while the defendant was under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance.
    (e) The defendant acted under extreme duress or under the substantial domination of another person.
    (f) The capacity of the defendant to appreciate the criminality of his conduct or to conform his conduct to the requirements of law was substantially impaired.

    The record will show that Mr. Grossman was under extreme duress at the time of his crime. After the inexcusable act of beating Officer Park with her flashlight, she picked up her radio microphone to call the sheriff’s office. Prosecutors said that she then drew her gun and fired a shot that missed him. Only then did Grossman wrestle the gun from her and shoot her once in the back of the head.

    A reasonable doubt therefore exists that Grossman WAS under extreme emotional disturbance and duress and his ability to conform his conduct to the requirements of law was substantially impaired. Furthermore, while he did have a prior conviction for burglary from 1/02/83, he had no history of violent crime.
    Additionally, Under Florida law premeditated murder “is more than a mere intent to kill; it is a fully formed conscious purpose to kill” Sireci v. State 399 So.2d 964, 967 (Fla. 1981). I believe that a degree of doubt exists as to Mr. Grossman’s “fully formed conscious purpose to kill”, as opposed to his instinct of self-preservation in the face of what he saw as the mortal danger of being shot by Officer Park.
    The actions of Mr. Grossman were and are despicable and appalling. Our heart goes out to the family and friends of Officer Margaret “Peggy” Park, whose innocent life was taken, and who can never be replaced. Yet, the loathsome facts of her murder should not be allowed to color a reasonable person’s judgment.

    Sincerely,

    Please think about this well
    Please think about this well
    14 years ago

    To all of you out there crying foul, here are a few points to ponder.
    1. The STATE of Florida executes on average 3.4 people a year, that’s for the entire state. so don’t make as if, every murderer gets killed in Florida. a state that includes 1000’s of murders a year.
    2. Were speaking about a kid, who didn’t really have anyone bringing him up with love. subsequently he dropped out of school, hung out with the wrong guys, and started doing small crimes. than the day of the big crime comes, Martin is drugged up with an IQ of 77, that’s right 77. Yet doesn’t get violent, until feeling threatened, which with the circumstance given, could do little to stop himself. Further more he doesn’t commit the murder, until feeling THRETEND with his own LIFE. After seeing his friend get shot.
    Now after weighing in all of the above, do you really think its right to call this a case of 1’ST DEGREE MURDER.
    3. I hardly think its right murdering anyone after 25 YEARS, of he or she sitting in jail. you can’t murder someone once he sat out a full life sentence, that’s just not fare.

    NB
    NB
    14 years ago

    I’m sorry but we are a community of hyposcrites…
    We’re always the first to promote the death penalty and mock “bleeding heart liberals” who defend murderers until it’s one of our own.

    You sleep in the bed you made…

    mt mehdi
    mt mehdi
    14 years ago

    It seems like we are all for “law and order” except when it’s one of our own.

    Moshe
    Moshe
    14 years ago

    Does of you who advocate different rules for Jews Vs. non Jews, are partly responsible for anti-Semitism. And blood is on your hand (Cahs Vsholem)

    shimon
    shimon
    14 years ago

    The “funny” part is that all these frum jews who support death penalty live in states that don’t have one (NY, NJ etc.)!

    oyvey
    oyvey
    14 years ago

    Martin grossman is a coldblooded killer who needs to stand up/down for his actions who he and no one else is responsible for.

    Spare Martin, Please
    Spare Martin, Please
    14 years ago

    At the time of the crime he was a frightened teenager on drugs, certainly not in most lucid state of mind. I don’t think he is a cold blooded murderer who is a danger to others and after twenty five years he has matured a surely regrets his terrible impulsive act. I am sure if he could live his life over, he would never do such a thing again. Twenty five years in prison during one’s youth, the best years of his life are punishment enough. He has has plenty of time to learn to be a person who can contribute positivelly to society. I feel the mother of the murdered woman’s pain, but, taking another life is more like revenge than closure. I say let him out under supervision and see how he conducts his life. It won’t be easy for him. It will be hard to get used to living outside prison and being on his own. But, please give him the chance, he never had one.

    Dave
    Dave
    14 years ago

    It has been reviewed for over two decades.

    You want to know why they want a “60 day review”?

    Because under Florida law, the Governor can do that on his own.

    Clemency would require the Governor AND a commission to agree (and two of the three members on that board are running for Senate against the sitting Governor).

    This isn’t about “review”. This is just more stalling.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    I don’t know if this counts in the law, but he has shown remorse and is living a well behaved (and religious) life in prison. Perhaps this can count toward clemency.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    While it’s true that good friends watch each others backs, etc., this is simply a talmudic attempt to mitigate a hideous embarrasing crime that happens to deserve death penalty in that state. The law of the land is what we have in galut. Wake up.Know your state’s laws as well as Torah’s. It is commendable to have rachmanut and more commendable when yehudim get together to be a light unto the nations.To all those who did not grow up in dysfunctional homes, you are truly lucky.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The Obama Administration and the Democrat Party and Democrat Governors who legalize marijuana are the guilty ones who support murder and the destruction of our youth. They are today’s guilty ones. We must not vote to approve legalized drugs. We must not support these politicians. What do we expect of youth who do drugs? They murder. This man in Florida is the result of drugs. Yes, it is tragic that he is going to pay with his life for his crime. He must do teshuvah and we must pray for him. We will see what will happen. It is min hashomayim now.

    the double standerd
    the double standerd
    14 years ago

    if this would have not been a jew, many would have not have mercy, so the mercy is only because he is jewish, now this is not logical it is emotional, therfore it cant be judged corectly.

    if we are for capital punishment (which we should be) then take out from prespective that he is jewish and judge him on the basis of his crime.

    Not quite sure
    Not quite sure
    14 years ago

    I do not think that his family’s background, drug or alcohol use have anything to do with this case….all criminals have issues like this (chemical imbalance, addiction, trauma from home, etc) or they would not be criminals making the horrible choices they do.

    ben
    ben
    14 years ago

    Muderers deserve the death penalty. It’s a disgrace that the Jewish community is supporting this POS

    Pro- Clemency
    Pro- Clemency
    14 years ago

    To some of the posters who are posting reckless comments here.
    Please put away your Gaavah for a minute and consider that a person whom you do not know, a person who has a “chelek elokai mima’al” and who does perform mitzvos every day, is in a sacanah, and some of you are posting comments here which may r’l, seal his fate tomorrow?
    Every Jewish organization which has examined the details in this case is urging the Governer to stay the execution or grant clemency.Some of the reckless comments being casually made here may be read by the very people who are in a position to save Mr. Grossman’s life.
    Are you sure that for the cheap thrill of a witty comment or to show your”erudition” you are willing to answer for this on the Yom Hadin?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    The law of the land, that is America in this case needs to be followed. The torah tells you not to kill this man obviously felt that law did not apply to him. Well he is reaping what he sowed! GOOD RIDDANCE I say.

    Moshe
    Moshe
    14 years ago

    In the city of Satmer Hungary before WW2 there was a FRUM guy who killed an other Yid, and he was sentenced to Death. Satmer Rabbi zt”l said, that the Jewish community should not intervene on his behalf.

    Ariev
    Ariev
    14 years ago

    We are all areivim in his situation. This is why when we say vidu it is in the plural.
    Stop crechtzing and do something. Help Grossman or help someone else.
    What are we as yidden who “care” doing to find other lost neshomas who are TODAY capable of such deeds.
    You say that you can’t, it’s not your job, fine, make a hachlata tova to give part of your maaser to an organization that is mekarev young boys and girls, frum from birth and or others.
    The Chabad Shluchim worldwide are trying to find the “Martin Grossmans” and teach them about yiddeshkeit BEFORE they need to be saved from death penalties R”L physical and R”L spiritual.
    How about the hundreds or maybe thousands of our own boy’s and girl’s who are nebach R”L leaving our yeshivah’s etc.. How long until we need to start a campaing to save a former heimisher from prison time or worse.
    Let’s hope that in the z’chus of our collective hachlata, Martins life will be spared, and if Chas v’sholom not, others will be saved.
    Stop talking and do something!
    I pledge $100 to Aleph Institute in Martin’s zchus and the zchus of acheinu b’nei Yisrael!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Nebech Nebech – the whole thing is a gevaldigga tradegy for all of Mankind. Uballa Hamavess LaNetzach

    Justice delayed=Justice denied
    Justice delayed=Justice denied
    14 years ago

    I strongly support the death penalty for this pig of a man. There is no deterrence factor to the death penalty when applied 25 years after the crime. We need to expedite and facilitate the death penalty process. In a nation where thousands of murders are committed annually, only 1000 scum have been executed in 30+ years. Your chances of death by lightning strike are higher than death by execution if you are adjudged guilty. To be sure, the law is not perfect, some will be executed who did not deserve the penalty. But I think that it is a rarity. In this nation, we are guilty of severe underutilization of the death penalty. Execution is the only way to guarantee that the killer will never kill again (see Leroy Nash below).

    The law, justice and society are not served by keeping this kind of vermin alive or sparing them the ultimate mortal punishment.

    Justice delayed is justice denied – to the victim’s family AND to society. Here is an egregious example of justice denied:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leroy_Nash

    hershel
    hershel
    14 years ago

    A bit of clarity for a group of blind people here.
    The reason the tora ever gives a death penalty isn’t because the person deserves to die under human ethics. Rather the tora tells us that G-d commands us to do his will, being the creator of life.
    When we give our life up not to do avoda zara, it isn’t because we deserve to die, it’s because we have no other choice.
    So all the hot headed Jews out there that think the death penalty helps anyone, can you show me a source in our holy tora?
    If I was the mother of “peggy” I probably would have killed him myself. Not because it is right, but because I would lose myself with rage.
    That is why the mother of the cop isn’t the judge.
    As outsiders of a horrific crime we have to step back and see what we are supposed to do with a bad situation, let a human live as g-d gave him life.

    100021
    100021
    14 years ago

    Stop wasting your time; this brutal and wanton murderer will be dead in less than 12 hours.

    Save your breath and your tefilos for someone worth-while.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Ladies and Gentlemen, It is important to compare this example, so to realize the magnitude of prejudice and anti-semitic the state of florida, the governor and his staff has demonstrated in Martin’s case , take a careful look at the following story and its outcome:

    On September 6, 1992, in the early morning hours, Michele Roger brutally murdered David A. Richmond, her lover. Roger stabbed Richmond while he was sleeping, because she wanted to terminate their relationship. After stabbing him at least 2 additional times while they struggled, Roger, not knowing whether he was alive or not, left their home to go to her parents, where they cleaned her up and discussed what to do over coffee. Roger and her father returned to the condo to find that Richmond was “no longer alive”.
    During the daylight hours of the 6th of September, the Roger family removed Righmond’s body by wrapping it in bloody carpeting cut from their bedroom floor. The body was then burned, the remains mixed with cement, and the the hardened result dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, from their boat, by Mr. Roger and his son.
    Michele Roger is currently serving a 17 year sentence in the Florida Correctional System.

    concerned
    concerned
    14 years ago

    if grossman were not a jew that would be the diffrence in his case of many people asking that his life be spared. The death penalty is a very somber and sad thing. I would rather leave those things to Hashem. But as a former sheriff’s deputy I feel the sentence should be carried out. The man killed an officer of the law. Many want law and order and our uniforms make us a target and represent the safety you want. When a person attacks that uniform, he or she attacks that safety and security you all want. We put our life on the line for you and that is why when one of our own gets killed or injured, the maximum penalty needs to apply. May AHshem have mercy on Grossman and his family and the family of officer Park.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    Interesting..that people would want to spare the life of this lowlife murderer.

    Suddenly he caught religion like some virus and so you decide he is worthy of you time and concern?

    For this killer you have rachmonous.

    Let me ask the question ..If this overfed piece of work had done what he did to a fellow Jew would you all be so forgiving?

    No you wouldnt so please spare us thinking Jews the obvious Chillul Hashem that your support for him is generating.

    Let the powers to be in this Goyish Country do what they have to do and if thats not to your liking I invite to go to Israel where killers of Jews are released on a continual basis in the hope of “PEACE”.

    He was convicted and he got what he got and quite simply let sleeping dogs lie.

    Let G-d deal with him on his own terms.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    14 years ago

    He deserves to be killed. There is no excuse to beat someone up and kill them execution style. I have no pity for him