THE CASE OF PAUL WILLIAM SCOTT

In October of 1979, Paul William Scott was sentenced to death in the
electric chair of the state of Florida for the Boca Raton, Florida
murder of James Alessi. Mr. Rick Kondian, who committed the offense,
turned himself in to Palm Beach County, Florida authorities, claiming
self defense. The altercation occurred in the home of the victim, back
in 1978, in the presence of Paul Scott. The front door deadbolt had been
locked by Mr. Alessi by key from the inside so Paul Scott had to make
his exit through the rear screening of an enclosed swimming pool. Scott
had aided Kondian briefly as a large (and nude) James Alessi (6’2”, 235
pounds) was forcing himself onto a much smaller Rick Kondian. Scott left
prior to Alessi’s death.

The murder weapon, Kondian stated, had been an unopened bottle of Dom
Perignon Champagne. Rick Kondian is left handed and he had a 5 stitch
cut on his left index finger from the wire cap around the bottle,
leaving little doubt as to who actually bludgeoned the victim and with
what weapon.

A circle of blood was found at the scene and photographed. Mr. Kondian
removed the bottle and tossed it into the nearby woods when leaving the
scene. The victim, a known homosexual, had had previous sexual
encounters with Rick Kondian. Marijuana, suspected to have been laced
with PCP (angel dust) was found at the scene. The victim had become
violent as a reaction from the marijuana. Mr. Kondian was “high” on the
same concoction, while Mr. Scott had declined to partake of the deadly
mixture.

Perhaps this was a justifiable homicide, perhaps it was manslaughter,
even 2nd degree murder by Richard Kondian. What it was not is murder
one, and certainly not by Paul William Scott.

In the courtroom, now a year later, things began to change drastically:

1. The prime suspect became Paul William Scott, a quiet, docile drifter
from Long Beach, California.
2. The police photograph of a circle of blood was strangely nowhere to
be seen or heard from.
3. A “bear” statue, with splattered blood on it (most everything in the
room had blood splattered on it) became “the murder weapon.” This weapon
was wielded by a left handed person and only Paul Scott is left handed,
avowed the prosecutor (erroneously on both counts).
4. Mr. Kondian’s confession had strangely become a denial of sorts,
leaving the jurors to believe Scott was the guilty person.
5. Mr. Kondian, whose family had considerable wealth, retained noted
criminal attorney David Roth for his defense. Roth’s strategy, according
to Kondian (speaking to other inmates), was to shift the blame in the
direction of Paul William Scott.
6. Scott, having barely the shirt on his back, was unable to defend
himself. He therefore received a court appointed attorney named George
Barrs. Barrs has been variously described as “alcoholic,” “incompetent,”
“undercompensated,” and “ineffective.” Detrimental to the defense of
Paul William Scott would certainly be an apt description.
7. The state had obtained one gentleman of questionable character named
Vince Soutullo as a witness, whose sworn statement reveals: “He (the
Boca Raton detective) told me what to say. I just said what the state
and police wanted me to say.”
8. During the trial of Paul William Scott, Mr. Barrs made no apparent
attempt to research the case, to determine Kondian’s admitted guilt, or
to locate the actual murder weapon.
9. Mr. Barrs told Scott to “Keep you mouth shut, bot,” and he kept his
own mouth closed during the trial.
10. In what turned out to be worse, far worse, than having no defense at
all, George Barrs left the jury with the impression that he felt his own
client was guilty as sin.

Since this “kangaroo” court, as it certainly was, transpired, Mr. Paul
William Scott has waited patiently in Raiford, Florida for appeal after
appeal after appeal. He has had several attorneys since George Barrs who
began the piece the true story together. Mild-mannered Scott has endured
40 years of “pure hell” on Florida’s death row while the wheels of
justice slowly turned.

Rick Kondian got his case “plea bargained” down to a 2nd degree murder
sentence of 15 years which he served and was released into society. That
was in 1994. And still, Paul Scott waits in his tiny cell. No one has
been there longer than Scott, and the wheels of justice continue to
turn.

Upon being informed of these irrefutable truths, nine of Scott’s former
jurors have expressed shock and dismay in being misled, lied to and
tricked into coming forward with a guilty verdict and a death sentence.
Eight of these have, in fact, signed statements to that effect and
voiced their regret in possibly sending an innocent man, even yet, to
his death.

For reasons hard to imagine, other than the embarrassment of the
blunders they undeniably made, the circle of attorneys, judges and
lawmakers of the state of Florida continue to press for the death of
Paul William Scott. And they will not be content, it appears, until that
high-voltage electric chair has taken the final beat from Paul William
Scott’s brave heart.

According to a law case, Herrara V. Collins, of 1993, “history is
replete with examples of wrongfully convicted persons who have been
pardoned in the wake of after-discovered evidence establishing their
innocence.” Isn’t it time to say enough is enough, Florida? In the name
of justice, set this man free.

Please don’t say “no” until you know the true story of Paul William
Scott. It’s been a long time coming and it refutes so much that you may
still believe to be the truth.

And if you should send this innocent man to his death,
concerned counsel, not one of you is one-half the man that occupies that
death row cell in Raiford, Florida tonight.

And may god have mercy upon your souls.